The Titan Initiative
by Editor Matt
Summary: Teenagers with superhuman abilities are recruited to a school that will train them to control these unique powers. But whats the real reason behind their powers, what is going on at this school and just what is 'The Titan Initiative? As the truth becomes uncovered, uncertainty sets in. Nothing is what is seems to be in this drastic re-imagining of the Titans universe.
1. Chapter 1

**A forward**: Just to clarify this takes place in it's own universe separate from any comic or TV show. I've redone this first chapter because I honestly hated a certain chunk of it that really didn't fit with anything else in the story. You're going to notice that the character seem different than they do on the show and the comics. This is on purpose, just keep reading and they'll get there. That's part of the whole character development I've got going on here. Just take it for what it is, I hope you enjoy it.

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><p>"<em>Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before<em>;" She read her favorite words of her favorite poem in that stale beige room. A small chuckle grabs her attention so she peers up glancing through her dark black bangs. Two moronic jocks joking to one another. She knew their names and not much else. She certainly wasn't their friend. She had very few in this boring institution. As she stared for a second, one of the jocks looked back at her. It was Victor Stone the unstoppable athletic machine with more school football records than any previous player. Not that she really gave a shit. Raven never gave a shit.

Like the worlds most extreme hipster, but not some emo fag like everyone thought. At least thats how _she_ saw things. She didn't have to tap into that dumb jock's mind to know what he was thinking. But she did anyway, let's her know she was right. As he gave her a slightly neutral, slightly threatening glance Raven tapped in, "_What's she looking at?...She looks good with her hair like that..._" Whoa, of all the people in the school to take an interest; one of the fucking jocks would. She never put much work into her look. Sure she would clean her cropped shoulder length hair, but a mirror wasn't her best friend. She hadn't ruled out the possibility of someone liking her at this stupid school. But the likely hood of it being one of 'those' students was absurd. She always figured she'd attract some shy perverted geek who was only looking for a way to live out of the the many fantastic ecchi manga scenarios he's read.

Every now and then though while sticking her mind in other peoples heads she caught a glimpse of what hinted that she could be so much more. Maybe even one of 'those' students that everybody gave a fuck about for no apparent reason. She refused to believe it. Just shoving it back into those dreams she dreams so quietly. Knowing how different she has always been, how it will never change. Maybe she'll write a book of her crushed dreams and sell it to all those people in the world who think they have problems and fill that artificial self generated void with words of melancholy. Or maybe she would end it all one day with one hell of a suicide note.

Until she figures it out, she plans to wander around and live by her creed. Those words she recites to herself again and again, "_Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before.._."

The ring of the school bell marks the moment she has been waiting for, end of the school day. She throws her Poe book into her over the shoulder backpack and heads out of the school as fast she could. Her long sleeve shirt and black baggy jean ruffle against the various attires of the other individuals in the room. As she exits she turns and catches Victor staring at her. Not for long enough that she's able to discern his expression but she's pretty sure that it's got something to do with that little thought she grabbed a hold of earlier. If she were slutty enough, she probably would've rubbed up against him 'accidently'. She'll leave that shit to the real sluts at this school.

Once she hops the wall surrounding the back of the school, Raven indulges in her stupidest addiction and pulls her cigarettes out of her bra. Lighting one up she feels the relief that has been bugging her since lunch when she managed to sneak some dip while the administration was taking care of the daily fight. A slow exhale flows from her lips and words echo in her head, '_Dreaming, dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before..._'

She hears the sound of cheap shoes smacking the sidewalk behind her. She takes another drag knowing full well its her biggest fan.

"Hey RAVEN!" He shouts. He catches up to her and Raven makes a quick note of his green hair, stupid unreadable dog tag, and clearly vegan clothing. Fucking hippie. If only he wasn't the nicest guy in the world Raven could bash him like the rest of the school. But he's not fake, so she tolerates him. He catches up to her and begins his usual friday afternoon spiel. "Hey, I'm volunteering at the animal shelter downtown if you actually want to stop by this time." Raven takes another drag.

"You already know I'm busy."

"I know you're not this afternoon, you never work fridays and since you're not much of a social type I can't imagine what else you'll be doing." Raven exhales the puff she took while Garfield went on his usual pleading. She looks at him with an annoyed glared and very blandly answers.

"I'll be in my room. Reading my books." She takes another inhale of her cigarette.

"You know you shouldn't smoke." Garfield warns. Raven exhales the smoke through her nose with a vigorous puff and flicks the butt into the street.

"Are you sure.." Garfield begins to say but is interrupted by his cell phone ringing. He answers. "Hey...Yeah I'm on my way dude, I'm always there right..." He walks off talking on the phone. Raven begins her trek home. It's not to far but she is going to stop at the bookstore on her way home.

A few hours pass as Raven slides her finger over the covers of various novels in the bookstore rack. Not really sure what she is in the mood for this friday ritual. She always picks up a new book and manages to read through almost all of it straight through in one night. Depending how heavy the reading load was. She drifted through her usual tastes. Horror, fantasy, or at least something with a lot of people dying in it.

"Need help finding anything?" The store clerk asks her.

"Not really..." She replies, trying to make him go away.

"Okay. But I do have a suggestion for you." He hands her a very heavy novel. She eyes the book with a raised brow.

" 'A Song Of Ice and Fire'?"

"Trust me. Based on what you normally buy, this thing is right up your alley." He tells her. It strikes her that the cashier remembers the things that shes bought here before. She flips the book over and reads the summary on the back.

"Alright." She pays for the book heads outside and grabs the city bus home. She thinks back for a moment about the fact that the cashier seemed to take so much interest in her reading habits. Maybe he's one of the souls out there that actually gives a fuck. Who know really. About half an hour later she arrives at the front of her home, she checks the surrounding areas. No one around, she hovers up to the second story window in this shit hole neighborhood. She opens the window and climbs into her room.

Downstairs in the Kitchen Raven's Mother is having a conversation. Her mother looks so much like her. At least she did when she was younger. A toll has been taken on her from all the years of hard living. But she is still a beautiful woman by any standard. She sips tea from her mug while listening to the reasoning of this older gentleman with an eye-patch.

"You must understand Arella, if she stays here it will be much harder to protect her. We're the only people who really understand the danger she's in. I want to protect her from that." The man says. Arella finishes her sip and rests her cup on the table.

"I've protected her all these years Slade. If I let her go with you, she will be in around exactly the people I'm protecting her from." The look on her face screaming 'no'.

"Arella I hate to pressure you but this is the best thing that you can do. She'll be around people like her that will care for her an protect her. I'll help her see the potential she has-"

"NO! I don't want her to know what she's capable of doing. What she's 'supposed' to do, I can't let her learn the truth. She's already stumbled upon her abilities and I leave it up to her choosing how to use them. I won't let her get involved, I let you persuade me to get involved all those years back. I'm lucky to be alive and sitting here."

"You remember how I helped you back then, If I hadn't intervened you would be dead and Rachel would be with her father. Out of guilt I've given you support to take care of her all these years. But if you don't want it then I'll let you struggle. She can find out on her own when those horrible people come here to take away and it will be to late to stop them!...If you let me protect her, I can make it so you never have to work a day again in your life. You deserve that much don't you?"

"Leave. I need time to think this over, withOUT you here to influence my choice. I never asked you for help to begin with."

"You have a week to decided. If you don't answer I will present the offer to her myself. She's a big girl now, she'll decide what to do. And I promise you, history will not repeat itself." His tone is stern. Arella rubs her face in frustration.

"What makes you think that they'll find her? That she's even in any danger?"

"Because blood knows where you are. He above everyone else worshiped her father like a god. Now that Rachael is old enough, it won't be long before he sends out his followers to make a move."

"And you can't prove that he's going to do this? That he leads some cult of fucking wack jobs? You've lost your touch." Her remarks hit him. His hand tightens slightly.

"He can't ever hide secrets from me. You know that. I don't have definitive proof. He knows how I and everyone else there operates. He's been able to cover his tracks well enough. But once he decides to make a move none of that will matter anymore."

Arella breaths deep. "I'll think about it. Please leave." Without a word he stands and walks out. Arella fights back the emotional frustration. She holds up her hand and a cigarette levitates out of its pack and into her fingers. She grabs the lighter off the counter and heads out to the porch. She lights up, needing time to think and to fight back the tears. "Why can't this ever end?" She asks herself.


	2. Chapter 2

"RAVEN!" Garfield shouts running up to her. His flip flops slapping the pavement. "Hey, I'm volunteering at the animal shelter downtown if you actually want to stop by this time." Raven inhales her cigarette and replies before exhaling he puff "You already know I'm busy." Which is just what he expected her to say. thankfully he checked with one of her coworkers who also happens to be a good friend of his. Not to mention he's never seen her at work on friday. "I know your not this afternoon, you never work friday and since your not much of a social type I can't imagine what else you'll be doing." She exhales a puff of smoke and glares at him. The look in her eyes is screaming at him to leave her alone. But he can't. Not until she smiles. "I'll be in my room. Reading my books." She's always reading books. In class, at lunch. What on earth is so fascinating about books. No use in reading them all the good ones get made into movies anyway. Not to mention textbooks being impossible to memorize.

The smell of the cigarette smoke wafts into his nose again, the smell of the tobacco topping everything else in the clean fresh air. Why does she do that? A super smart person, clearly way above his own level of intelligence. Pretty, fantastic body she always covers up. Heck she's even an inch or so taller than he is. Yet she spends her time being alone, making herself smelling like an ash tray. Why? He'll just have to charm her out of it. "You know you shouldn't smoke." Who doesn't really. He's pleaded with lots of other people to stop the nasty habit. They all know how bad it is but always manage to sidestep it so they can have their vice.

Raven's the same way. She doesn't say anything and just vigorously jets the smoke out of her nose and flicks the butt into the street. Where some bird or other small animal is likely to choke on it...maybe. He's never read that anywhere but why wouldn't it happen right. He'll deal with it later, for now he's gonna continue wearing down Raven until he gets a yes out of her. "are you sure..." His phone rings cutting him off. He looks at his phone to see "Toni" on the front of it. He answers it. "Hey..." "Ey, Your on your way right?" She speaks with such a heavy english accent. "Yeah dude I'm always there on fridays right."

Garfield begins to wander away from Raven without realizing it. "We need to move a few new animals out of quarantine into the kennel today. In case you forgot" She reminds him. "Okay. Sounds good I'll be over in an a half an hour." He hangs up his phone and turns his attention to Raven. Who has disappeared. "How..?" He wonders for a second. Then his mind jumps back to reality and he heads off to grab his scooter from the bike rack back at the school. It's nothing fancy. I's practically just a piece of wood with a small lawnmower engine. Heck it's even smaller than a decent mower. But it's all he's got for now.

It takes an hour buzzing through town before he gets to the local animal shelter. He parks his moped next to Toni's super nice and super expensive $15,000 super-sport bike. She might be rich as hell, but at least she's a real person. Garfield heads into the employee entrance slips on a set of scrubs an heads into the shelter. Toni stops him right at the exit. "There you are!" Garfield observes this very pale European girl in front of him. Kinda short compared to himself but not to unusual for a girl. Her messy short black hair sprouting out in all directions. Probably from the helmet hair, featuring a couple of red bangs hanging over her eyes. Oh look at that she's wearing crocs. Bright red. Clearly that's her favorite color. She is so awesome. She would make a great girlfriend if it wasn't for that fact that she's gay an all. "Come on we've got a few that we need to move into the kennel."

Garfield follows her out around the side of the building where the back kennels are. It's the place where the dogs are keep the new strays when they arrive. They walk inside and all of them light up immediately when they see him. Panting, grinning, and wagging their tails. "See," Toni begins, "This is why I wanted you to get here. All the animals always love you. They were driving me bonkaz when I called." Toni looks down into one of the cages at a smiling young dog. Maybe a year or two old. "You were being so mean until he showed up ya wee bitch" Garfield would tell her to be nice but he learned how hard headed this girl can be.

The day goes on and the dogs have been successfully moved into the public kennel. Garfield walks the last dog into his new kennel. From behind he hears a girls voice squeaking in excitement. He looks up to see the two most popular kids in all of highschooldom. Dick and Karen. Or as many refer to them, and douche and the cheerleader. Granted he's talked to Dick a few times in his classes at school. But nothing much more than discussing the current assignment they'd been given. He was nice enough to help Garfield out so he isn't all bad. Dick is standing there looking into the cage with his hands in his pockets wearing his trademark sunglasses that he rarely takes off and Karen is crouching down looking in at a few puppies inside a kennel. He heads over to say hi in a slightly nervous why am I talking to these guys kind of way. "Hey guys, what going on?" "Hi," Dick says and Karen looks up and give on overly happy "Hello friend!" Her attention is quickly back on the happy little pups climbing over one another to be the one to get the attention.

Dick walks up and meets him halfway. Garfield asks "Need any help?" "I might in a few minutes. Karen wants to get a puppy." "Dude, as great as puppies are, guys like ole sluggo here-" He points to the dog in the kennel next to him. "-are even better. You don't have to train an older dog and they'll love you forever." Dick scratches his head in a nervous manner and replies; "Yeah, but girls always go for puppies and I kinda don't like to argue with her."

Garfield looks over Dicks shoulder at her. Wow is she hot. Usually Garfield doesn't like to judge but man this girl has everything in the perfect proportions that a girl with a thin body type can have. Her clothing choice is also adding to that effect. A couple of light brown leather thigh high boots over skinny jeans, a loose and baggy shirt with wide shoulders and black buret capping her head on top of the waist length read hair. And those bright green eyes and that smile and... Garfield realizes that through those opaque sunglasses Dick is staring right at him with a completely neutral expression that is just screaming at him "_what are you looking at?" _

Garfield just grins nervously and looks down at Sluggo. The old bulldog looks at him as if to say "Your on your own dude". Suddenly Karen's bright happy voice says "I would like to take this one home please." She points into the kennel. Garfield walks over and looks at the little dog. A small tan pug smiling up at them. "That is her" Karen says. Garfield opens the kennel door just enough to stick his leg in to block the dogs from running out. He scoops the little girl up and closes the door with one arm. He walks with Karen and Dick over to a larger cage with some fake green grass on the ground. Karen has some time to interact with her. It doesn't take long for her to make up her mind a second time about taking this dog home with her.

Garfield puts a notice on the dog's cage that says adopted while he takes Karen and Dick to the office to have them fill out paperwork. A couple of hours pass by and the pound is shutting down. All the dogs are given the food and water they need for the night. Garfield is giving a little extra attention to Sluggo. The manager of the pound that evening is walking around making sure that everything is is order. He spots Garfield kneeling down in front of the kennel. He goes to tell him to leave when he is stopped by Toni. "You know he's not gonna leave that dog. Especially on it's last night." The manager hands he the keys, "You know what to lock up. Don't be too late."

About ten minutes later Garfield is sitting in the kennel with Sluggo. The dogs head in his lap while laying there. Garfield slowly scratches Sluggo's ear and talks to him. "I tried. But no one wants an old dog… I'd take you home myself but my aunt is allergic to dogs. Plus our complex won't allow pets." Toni opens the kennel and enters. "You know how late it is right?" Garfield looks up at her in her motorcycle riding clothes. This girl really loves fashion. She always has to wear the appropriate outfit for whatever she's doing. Black leather pants, red biker boots, Red shirt under a black leather jacket. Plus the red and black full face helmet she's holding.

"Of course." "Look Gar, I don't think it's a good idea for you to volunteer here. As much as we all like you." "What else am I supposed to do? All these guys gotta go to a good home right?" Toni sits down and leans her back on the wall opposite Garfield and Sluggo. Knowing how difficult of a conversation this will be. "I was talking with Dave, manager Dave, and he thinks the same thing. Every month you bond with another animal and then you wind up spending it's last night here. I just don't think it's good for you. It really fucks you up for a couple of days afterwards." Garfield tries to come up with a response. A real reason for him to stay. He can't come up with anything that isn't just reiterating what he's said a thousand time before. He just rubs Sluggo's head and lets his mind try to come up with an answer.

He looks at Toni for a second and realizes how good she manages to look all the time. As strange as he feels with all the conflicting things going on inside him at once he pops out one odd question. "Hey, if you weren't, you know, gay. Would you go out with me?" Both of them we're silent for a second. Toni attempting to avoid hurting his feelings as much as possible replies; "I don't…know. I guess I would. But aren't you and Rachel…?" "I've never asked. I just don't think she'll go for me. She doesn't seem to like me or, anybody really." "Well maybe I could talk to her when I get to work tomorrow. You know send her in your direction." "I don't know." "Trust me. You need someone Gar, she's real down to earth, and you, well. You can make her laugh." "But Raven doesn't." "Give it time. That's how she is."

Garfield sits there knowing he's lost the argument. When Toni makes up her mind there's no arguing with her. Toni grabs her helmet and stands up ready to leave the kennel. "Look. We have to go. I'll see if I could send Rachel your way and everything we'll work out for you. Now hurry up before we both get canned by Dave." She throws on her helmet and Garfield follows her out of the cage. He stands there looking through the wires staring at the eyes of Sluggo. knowing that tomorrow he'll be put down because no one will take him home.

Toni hops on her red and black sport bike which matches her outfit. Garfield hops on his…scooter. A small 49cc moped that can barely top 40 MPH. it's enough to get him around town. He manages to get home, plop onto bed and relax for a moment. His thought drift towards Raven. _Why is called Raven? Her name's Rachel, I think… _it doesn't take him long to drift off to sleep.

That next day he pulls into a parking spot at the animal shelter. Feeling bitter after last nights goodbye. He pulls off his helmet and spot an older man walking out of the pound with none other than Sluggo on a leash happy as he can be. A huge weight of sadness lifted off of his chest at that moment. The old man had an eyepatch which was kinda cool. Garfield heads inside and one of the other volunteers walks up and says "Hey, some old guy was just here asking about you." "Really? Like what?" "it was kinda general. Mostly like if you worked here and when. Is he a cop or something?" "nah dude. I don't know why it would be a cop. Or anybody else.


	3. Chapter 3

"I would like to take this one home please." She points into the kennel. Garfield walks over and looks at the little dog. A small tan pug smiling up at them. "That is her" Karen says. Garfield opens the kennel door just enough to stick his leg in to block the dogs from running out. He scoops the little girl up and closes the door with one arm. He walks with Karen and Dick over to a larger cage with some fake green grass on the ground. Karen has some time to interact with her. It doesn't take long for her to make up her mind a second time about taking this dog home with her.

Richard and Karen fill out all of the various forms for adopting the dog. About an hour passes by they are in Richard's Land Rover, Karen and the dog in the backseat. After arriving at Karen's home the let the dog run around and play nil she gets herself all worn out and finally cranes on Karen's bed. In her upstairs bedroom Richard lays on the bed on his back, scanning his social media pages and killing time waiting to hear back from Vic about tonights plans. With his headphones blasting hip hop music.

Karen uses the opportunity, now the that dog is asleep, to grab and a grinder and a pipe out from a box under her bed and heads out to the balcony outside. She packs the bowl of the pipe and takes a good rip out of it. The smell wafting slightly into the room enough for Richard to smell it. He never cared to do that kind of stuff, and after a few discussions with Karen about it. They agreed that she would not ask him and he would never indulge. She is polite like that. A bit of a hipster but mostly a huge introvert and very socially awkward. As far as he knows she never went outside the house much, other than school and family stuff. Since meeting him and keeping up with his social life, she has opened up a bit. Trying things she was always afraid to. Like cheerleading. With her politeness and gorgeous supermodel body type she quickly became cheerleading captain. Of course it didn't last long. Once she demonstrated her shy awkwardness by not being able to be a leader. Her older sister Cameron quickly took over.

Cameron walks into the room and catches a whiff of the herbs the Karen is enjoying outside. "Smells like she's got some good shit this week." She says addressing Richard who appears to be unaware of her presence. Wearing knee-high goth boots over blue jeans with a low cut Ed Hardy T-shirt, she walks out onto the balcony patio to catch Karen exhaling from a toke. Cameron reaches down and grabs the pipe from her. "so when is this party supposed to go down tonight?" Cameron says just before flicking the lighter and inhaling a breath. Karen looks at her through glassy eyes and hazy peripheral vision and explains. "I do not know. He is still waiting to her from Victor."

Cameron exhales and coughs a little bit. "Holy shit, *cough* this is good stuff." She then takes another rip. Richard still sitting on the bed contemplates Karen and Cameron. Namely the fact the Cameron is the one who introduced Karen to weed in the first place. Seems odd since Cameron tends to be a bit protective of her sister. Although she is generally a total bitch most of the time. His phone dings, a message from Victor has finally arrived. He get's up off the bed and tells the two sisters that they can leave for the party.

They arrive at the decently sized house near a local college. Mostly college students and a few high schoolers who've yet to graduate. The sound of crappy rap music blasting though a blown out speaker dock. Richard quickly spots Victor holding a beer and dancing to the music. He calls out to him and Victor hurries over to them. "Yo what's up!" He hugs Karen and Cameron. Cameron asks him where the alcohol is and he point over to the kitchen. A couple of empty beer cases sit on top of the counter by the fridge. Plastic cup and miscellaneous spills of alcohol all over the place. A beer keg sits inside of a grey garbage can filled with ice. Cameron grabs a cup and fills up the cup from the keg. The cheep beer taste quickly fades after a few sips.

Victor pulls Richard over to the keg. Richard protests, "You know I don't drink." Victor corrects "I know that, You gonna hold up my legs." Victor then shouts "KEG STAND!" and quickly the room fills with people who begins shouting "chug" as Victor stays up for a good minute before going down. One random partier shouts "YOUR A FUCKIN MACHINE BRO!"

Hearing the doorbell ring Richard walks over and answers the door. Toni is standing outside wearing a red and black leather biker outfit. "Ello Rich." She hugs him and continues inside to find her girlfriend. One of the members of the football team grabs Richards attention. "Yo dude, I know YOU got good dubstep right." "Yeah, sure." "The speaker's over there." He directs with a beer in his hand. He plugs in his phone and begins cranking the sound of the insane electric music.

As he turns around he bumps into someone and they spill there drink all over. Mark Ruse, one of the line backers on the football team completely wasted stands there with the intention to fight. Richard apologizes but Mark won't hear it. "Fuck you!" He says shoving Richard full force back into a group of people including Karen. She lets out a small terrified squeal. Richard comes back with a right hook to the cheek. Mark slams him in the stomach and Richard grabs the fist and yanks Mark onto the floor Mark gets up and drunkenly swings at Richard missing each one. Victor grabs him from behind locking both of his arms. "You better stop it man, You don't want ME to whoop your ass." Victor warns him with an ominous yet still drunk tone. "It's all that fucker man." Mark cry as he's dragged away.

Richard wipes dirt off his face. Karen tugs at his arm and he looks over into fear filled eyes. "Can we go now, Please?" "Yeah sure." Cameron decides to stay at the party and Victor assures Richard that he'll keep watch for her. Richard and Karen drive home. Cameron watches Mark the rest of the night. Later on in the evening he stumbles outside in order to throw up. The bathrooms were both full and he couldn't wait. He makes his way to a tree line and begins emptying his insides. After and intense moment of heaving he sits there spitting nearly blacking out. He suddenly feels a tug on the back of his shirt and he is hauled up into the air above the tree line. Then release and he plummets to the ground bouncing off a few branches along the way.

Footsteps approach, he looks up into eyes that glow purple. Terror beyond anything he can understand flows through his numb body. A hand glowing with purple energy. the voice of Cameron sadistic and angry threatens. "You hurt my sister. Consider this a warning." She reaches down, wraps a hand around his ankle and flings him into a tree. Likely breaking a few ribs. Satisfied with her work she returns to the party.


	4. Chapter 4

A week had passed since the party. Raven had heard about it from a few people since the fact that Mark got his ass handed to him was the big topic and nobody knows who did it. Other than the rumors circulating about who it could've been the days blended together in a haze. They tend to do that when its the exact same thing happening over and over again. What stuck out in Raven's mind was that Toni had tried to convince her to talk to Garfield instead of just blowing him off like she does with everyone. Different sides of her mind arguing over the possibilities of what could happen if she actually stopped and said 'Hi' to someone once in a while. Maybe it'll be good for her. Not likely. Considering everything else in life has gone oh so wonderful before. Still she can't believe she showed up to this. She never goes anywhere on friday nights. Especially not a football game.

The sound of the drumline hammers on, people in the stands cheering, the cheerleaders headed by Cameron and her sister. At the entrance of the football field a peculiar looking older gentleman with white hair and an eyepatch pays for admission to the game. Slade contently walks over to the hamburger stand and gets himself a drink and some food. He enjoys the normalcy and stands there, scanning the crowd, looking over at the game during the plays. Keeping an eye on two of the star players. Richard and Victor.

"Hike!" Richard has the ball and wings it out to Victor. He jumps up to catch it cleanly. Upon landing he bolts down the field heading towards the edge of the crowd of players. Slamming through a few of them without himself slowing down from it. It looks like he defies the laws of physics. "TOUCHDOWN! STONE!" Slamming the football down and shouting "BOOYAH!" he begins his trademark touchdown dance. The old man is amused by the spectacle.

A voice rings out in Slades bluetooth in his ear. "Sir, I've located projects; Raven, Beast, and Argent. And I believe both of the Fire projects are on the cheerleading squad"

"Continue surveillance from a distance. We're only here to observe."

"Yes Sir."

Back behind the bleachers Toni is convincing Garfield. "I dragged her out here for you. What the bloody fuck are you waiting for?" She pressures.

"I just… Look I try to talk to her all the time but seriously, her, Raven, a date? How am I going to do that?"

"When you asked me if I would've gone out with you back at the kennel I hesitated because I'd never really thought about it before. But I would be fucking stupid to say no." She says. Garfield is taken aback by this. As happy as he appears he still has to deal with the self-doubt that everyone deals with in life. Toni continues with her encouragement/endless nagging. "Just find your bollucks and ask 'er a question that you've wanted to ask 'er forever."

"Okay." He turns and takes a deep breath. Then approaches her. It's different than it has always been. His heart is pounding heavily, he feels hot pressure throughout his chest. It would seem the intention of having more than a conversation with her are getting to him. He see's her leaning against the supports of the bleachers. The sounds of the drums and the band are dulled by the thoughts in his head. The crowd seems to float around him as the seconds take forever to tick.

She has her attention focused on the game. But she is aware of him approaching. She could sense it from a mile away. She turns her head to look at him. He nervously begins speaking. "Oh hey Raven. Toni told me you were here."

"Apparently" Her dull as stone demeanor never changes. No matter what the circumstance.

Toni stands from a distance watching. "Come on ya silly basturd."

"So um… Why does everyone call you Raven?" He asks scratching the back of his head from all the nerves. Raven keeps her head facing the football field. The voice over the P.A. system announces "Touchdown Grayson!"

"My tattoo."

"Can I see it?"

"Uh, sure." She rotates around and lifts up the back of her shirt far enough to reveal the tattoo of a Raven and the quote of the Edgar Allen Poe poem. Garfield reads it but is un familiar with the passage. He asks, "what's it mean?"

Annoyed Raven turns around and grunts at his ignorance. He's not the first thats for fucking sure. "The whole thing goes;

_Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,_

_Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, _

_While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, _

_As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. _

_"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door - _

_Only this, and nothing more." _

_Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, _

_And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. _

_Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow _

_From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore - _

_For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore - _

_Nameless here for evermore…."_

She continues to recite the poem. Toni celebrates her success of getting those two to talk to one another successfully. A finger taps on her shoulder. She turns to see Mandi her girlfriend grinning. The stud in her lower lip glints from the field spotlights. "You really need to stay out of relationships and focus on your own."

"I believe it just fine." Toni says with fingers under Mandi's chin. She goes in for the kiss and the two girls begin to make out. A couple of idiot stoners walk by and stop at the sight of them. "Yo dude." One of them exclaims quietly enough to keep it in the group. Then he pulls out his phone and begins to film video. The girls continue to make out and giggle whilst flipping off the camera.

A man in a hood looks across a small distance to another man. Both of them wearing dark colored hoods. They nod to one another. Slade is oblivious to this as he watches the field, and so is his counter part. One of the hooded men approaches Raven and Garfield. The other heads around to flank them from the other side. Staying completely casual the hooded man approaches Raven and Garfield. Slade looks over and catches the suspicious activity. He talks into his bluetooth as he quickly steps over towards the area. "Riguez, Behind the bleachers."

The hooded man grabs Garfield's shirt collar and yanks him away from Raven. He draws a knife from his jacket pocket and lunges it at Raven. In the instant she catches the action she reflexively shoves the man back with her mind. It happened without her even thinking about it. The man slams into the support beams on the opposite end of the sidewalk. He holds his ground from it and regains his momentum and tries again to strike at Raven. Garfield jumps him and tackles him away from Raven.

Toni hears the commotion and breaks away from her make out with Mandi. She turns and looks over at a frightened Raven and a Garfield she's never seen before tackling a man to the ground. She also sees another hooded man approaching him from behind. She screams for him to 'look out' while bolting over there. Garfield barely has time to notice the man before he's inches away from him. In a panic Toni throws her hand forward as if to grab the man. She can see the physical manifestation of a red hand grabbing the man. She wings her fist upward throwing the man in the air. He reacts and grabs the railing on the side of the bleachers. He flips and lands on the bleachers.

The man on the ground slams Garfield in the face hard. He then kicks him off of him with his foot. He turns his attention to Raven who backs away into the bleachers supports and climbs her way through in order to flee. The man on the top of the other bleachers pulls out a pistol and fires a few round at her but only hits the beams. He shouts, "Kill the portal!"

Everyone at the game is fleeing from the gun shots. Victor however sees the man on top of the bleachers. The man jumps across the opening to the other set of bleachers and begins running to meet Raven at the other end. Victor runs as quickly as he can up the bleachers to stop him. Jumping from seat to seat adrenaline pumping full blast he slams the man into the rear fencing at the top of the bleachers. The bend and creek but don't give way. Falling back to him hands and knees the man needs only a split second to recover from the shock. Victor lands on his feet ready for a fight. The man jumps up and tackles Victor. They slam there way down the bleachers.

On the ground below Raven climbs through towards the other end of the support beams. Her attacker following suit right outside the supports. Moving through the panicking crowd. Riguez rounds the corner behind him and pulls out his pistol. He fires a shot that lands in the mans upper back by his right shoulder blade. Raven stop to observe the man also standing still cringed backwards from the pain. He clenches his body together and screams in pain. Everyone who saw him get shot is amazed as the bullet pushes out though the opening it entered. He looks over at Riguez and fires a shot that lands in his astonished face. Happening right in front of Toni, she screams and backs away in terror. Almost tripping over backwards. Garfield runs and catches her.

The old man pulls out his gun and aims it at the guy who's in a fist fight with Victor. Richard tackles him as he fires. The bullet misses the target and flies into Karen's stomach. She screams and Cameron fires purple energy from her hand at the bleachers where Victor is fighting and Raven is climbing through. The explode as Raven reaches the edge throwing her and the man chasing her to the ground.

The old man slams Richard with a knee and shouts "I'M POLICE DAMMIT!" He throws a badge at Richard. Richard takes a second and looks at the badge. The old man fires a round at the man fighting Victor. The first hit wounds him. He looks over at Slade as Victor decides it's best to run from the gunfire. Slade fires another round into the head of the attacker.

Raven gets up and continues running for her life. The remaining attacker follows suit. Getting closer and closer to her as she heads for the parking lot. He pulls out his knife and is only a couple feet away when a few round from the old mans gun puts him down. He runs up to him and looks down at the face of the man he shot. He fires one more round into his head to execute him for good measure.

"it's alright, I'm here to help you Rachel." She hides behind a car and breathes heavily. "Why should I trust you?" The next thing she hears was the last thing she ever expected. "Because I promised your mother I would protect you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

In the month that followed all of the teenagers were sucked into this program. It was designed to help them with there unique individual abilities. At least thats what they had been told. Raven walks down a hallway of this place that looks likes the set from a Ridley Scott space epic in yellow, grey, and black paint. Lots of different people were moving around. She looked at room numbers trying to find the one that she had been told to go to after all the tests.

Everything under the sun had been done to all of them. Blood test, CT scan, Nuclear Stress Test, physical, vision, hearing, fitness test. The noise from the machines still rings in her head as she walk down the hall. A shoulder slams into her. She looks and it's the shoulder belonging to a blond in a red shirt who pays no mind to her. Doesn't even excuse herself, the cunt.

Everyone else had been told the same information regarding why they are here. The circumstances are different but it's the same story. It's a military academy built to monitor, educate, and assist them with there unique abilities. Robin, Richard's new code name he had been told to use, thought back to what he had been told. He was given one extra piece of information from Slade when he inquired about what it was that makes him so special. Slade told him something you wouldn't tell most anyone. Whoever Slade knew that Robin wouldn't walk away from his own curiosity when he heard that he was "_the control in a group of variables_".

On his way he runs into Victor. Now designated as Cyborg. He was informed that his abilities were oriented towards and understanding of technology and computers. He could work with that. The team mates high five and exchange room numbers on there way past each other.

Raven reaches the door. She notices the lack of a door knob or keypad or card slot. She then examines her wrist. A chip had been injected in her right arm. It's likely everyone else there had the same done to them when they arrived. She holds her wrist up to a hexagon shape on the right of the door. It glows white light for a second then the door slides open. She steps in and examines the room. A hexagon shape was the back wall with the side walls tapered inward towards the ceiling and floor. A bed in the creese of each wall. One was bare amusingly for her. On the other bed sat a girl with pink hair on a laptop. Memories of the museum jump through her head.

"No fucking way." She says in disbelief. The girl on the bed finally notices her over the noise of the music in her earphones. She looks up and Raven is able to get a good look at her. Apparently Indian or somewhere from the middle east. Tan skin with pink hair and pink cat eyes. A black halter and jean shorts lead to purple and pink striped stalkings. A belly button piercing a chakra on her forehead. This is definitely the same girl from that night. What the fuck is this bitch doing here.

"Hi. so you finally made it. Nice to see you again." She says kind of coy and friendly whilst setting down her laptop and sitting up. She points at the other bed and says "That one's yours obviously." Raven sets her stuff on the bed and doesn't take her eyes off this girl. Sensing some hostility she replies, "Will you just chill. I'm not going to do anything. Name's Jinx by the way."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm your handler so to speak." She says sitting criss crossed with an upright posture. Raven only raises one brow of her stoic untrusting expression.

"I'm here to make sure you adjust to HIVE Academy without any problems. And give you help with your powers." Jinx Explains

"Powers?" Raven asks. Jinx lifts a hand and a folder on Raven's bed floats up and over into Jinx's hand.

"Powers." She says before flipping open the folder and examine the documents inside. The information contained in the folder is all about 'Project: Raven'. mainly just data about what she's physically capable of. "Holy crap!"

"What?" Raven asks with some genuine concern. Jinx flips the folder shut and stares straight at Raven.

"Are you reading my mind?"

"No." Raven replies with honesty. Although she had used some empathy in order to detect any hostility from her she did no genuinely read her mind.

"You realize how powerful you are right?" Jinx asks still not having averted her gaze.

"I don't know anything thats going on. They zapped me with a bunch of different shit and sent me here with that folder. So you tell me Ms. Handler."

"Those test were to scan your mind and body and figure out exactly what you can do. Most of us have either physical or mental ability. We have mental. I for example am a telekinetic. I can move objects with my mind and by extension myself. And thats it. You are also telekinetic. But you also have ESP, telepathy, empathy, and even clairvoyance."

"So that's impressive?"

"Most people here have only one thing they can do. For most of us its a mental ability. But it's limited to one type. A few people her have a couple. Maybe 3 at the most. You, you're practically a freak."

Robin figures out how to open the door in front of him. It slides open to reveal a guy about his height and age standing there with his arms crossed. "Welcome. The name's Speedy. Yours?"

"Robin." He says remembering to use his code name rather than his real one. Robin enters and quickly scope out the room. Hexagon shape. Two beds. Neatly organized. Speedy turns and walks into the room with Robin following. Speedy asks him, "So, what are the skill that you're here for?" Robin answers with, "Mixed martial arts." The second he finishes that statement and karate chop from speedy at his face. In that instant Robin drops his things an ducks away from the chop. The two engage in a quick battle. Both of them moving impressively fast. After about 20 seconds of this the two stop. Speedy asks Robin, "Impressive, who's your teacher?" Robin answers with a subtle, "No one in particular. You?"

"The combat training they provide here. Didn't they explain that two you?"

"Somewhat. I'm due at orientation in about 20 minutes."

"You should get going then. They like it when you get there early."

"Thanks I'll remember that."

Robin leaves his stuff in the room and heads to the locating circled on the map printed on the cheap copy paper. The others follow suit and catch up with him in the hall. Arbitrarily believing that he's going in the right direction the other various rounded up teenagers follow him down the hall. After a moment of following, wandering, and curious looking around they finally manage to arrive where they we're told to. The teens all enter into a classroom about the same size as the bland and boring rooms they were used to at school.

Two men stand in the front of the classroom. One of them is a red haired man in a suit and tie. The tie is the English flag. He has a cain at his side. The other man is one that the students have come to know as Slade. He stands in a military posture with his arm behind his back.

The two men observe the students lazily shuffle into the room until they find chairs. Karen looks at Cameron and asks her. "What is this? Are we in trouble"

Cameron rudely rolls her eyes and replies with a harsh but quite "Shut up. Stop asking stupid questions." Karen had always been treated somewhat rudely by her sister. She never understood it that way only until recent years when she quit being a shut in.

Once everyone was seated Slade stepped forward and addressed them. "I am pleased to see you all made it on time. You all know who I am, and the man standing to my right is General Mod. He will be your instructor in military tactics. We will be supervising your training. I know your trying to understand why you have to go through this. The answer is that all of you posses unique abilities that vary from person to person. At this point in time it would seem that you all are somewhat aware of what you can do. We are here to help you reach your potential. We will be doing that through discipline. Some of you, if you so choose, may continue on from this program and onto full fledged military service. The rest of you will continue to college or onto whatever you choose to do. Now I'll turn it over to General Mod to begin your instruction for today."

Slade gestures at Mod. He nods and then steps forward to address the room. "Alright my duckies you 'eard the man. You will be receiving military discipline under my instruction. You must discipline yourselves in order to discipline your mind and body. Before we begin today I'll lay down the ground rules. First off, you are not allowed to leave campus when you schooling or training is in session. You are however allowed to leave at any other time as long you show enough responsibili'y to show up on time. You are allowed to hold down jobs, use your computers and communicate with other individuals outside of this facility as you please. We're allowing this because we are 'ere to make good people. NOT drones. You are not under any circumstance to tell people why you are at this school. We 'ave the resources at our disposal to know if you do. And if you do you will be under lock and key 'ere. Understood?"

The room nervously and lazily answers, "yes sir."

Mod whacks his cane on a table hard. Making must of the teens jump. "I want to be able to 'ear you when you answer me do you got that!?"

They all shout "YES SIR!"

"That's a little better. We will begin today by stripping you of the greatest inhibitor of human nature. Fear." Mod flips open the top of his cane and presses a button. Suddenly gas pours out of the ceiling like a waterless fire retardant system. The teens panic while Mod and Slade shove gas masks on their faces. Mod speaks through the mask. "And the only way to do that is to make you face true terror."


	6. Chapter 6

The sound and sensation of wind batters the darkness. Eyes open up to reveal the tail end of a plane, door open, shrinking into the sky. Then they realize that they're falling. Complete shock and fear rushes throughout the body. It then becomes apparent that someone is harnessed to them. Looking around Raven makes eye contact with everyone else who've just regained consciousness. Garfield, Richard, Toni, all of them skydiving while strapped to the front of someone else. Raven remembers reading about this in an article once. People learning to skydive have an instructor strapped to them.

The thought passes as she enjoys a new sensation. The feeling of free fall. Sure she had flown before. But never very high or for very long. It always felt like she was pushing herself up somehow. Never actually floating or experiencing weightlessness. It felt wonderful. She was actually grinning from all the endorphins. A very rare sight for her. Garfield shouting out in excitement like he's on a roller coaster. Most of the other teens are doing the same thing.

Cameron doesn't seem as excited as the others. Sure she had never been skydiving before, but she could fly. A fact she kept deliberately secret from her sister friends and parents. She was enjoying the moment, just not as much as the others. She tried to act as excited as everyone else but Raven's empathic ability could see through the charade.

She let's her suspicious notion pass and closes her eyes to enjoy the free fall. Slowly the realization of how long they've been falling dawns on her. She opens her eyes, the ground rapidly approaching. Everyone begins to panic and shout for the people they're strapped to begging them to pull the rip chord. Raven's heart pounds, she begins to hyperventilate as fear consumes her. The harness around her explodes flinging her and the man she was attached to apart. Tumbling freely towards the ground she is unable to break through her panic and make herself float. Robin shouts her name out but his chord along with the others is pulled. The man she disconnected from dives blindingly fast towards her. He catches her and clasps a strap under her torso. She grabs on with all she has, the man pulls the chord, the chute opens and they slow down. Coasting just above the ground in order to slow their speed the ground comes into contact with them very fast.

On the ground, the harness is unhooked. They climb out from under the parachute. Raven hyperventilates from the experience as the other man checks to see if she is alright attempting to get her to breath normally. Shortly after her landing the other team members reach the ground. Most of them immediately rush to check on Raven. Before anyone gets the chance to assure she's alright, other than the man she was strapped to, a woman voice shouts at them. "ALRIGHT GET MOVING! ONE MILE NORTH GO!" The entire team looks over to see this woman in military fatigues, boots, pants, green wife-beater, hat, sunglasses, dog tags, with a fierce demeanor pointing at the appropriate path. Her presence is so dominating she only needs to say it once.

The team begins running in the norther direction. Mod walks up behind her once the team has made some distance. He addresses her, "Diana you sure haven't lost you temper 'ave you." She looks down at him with a glare. Mod just smirks at her like he always has. The man whom Raven was attached to approaches them. Diana looks at him. "What happened?"

"I don't now. The moment she panicked the harness exploded."

"Could be the her ability acting up due to the stress." Mod suggests

"It's a likely explanation. If you didn't act fast she could've died. Good job." Diana says

"Can't go 'bout pissing off Arella now could we." Mod Jokes.

The team trudges their way through the run over various off road terrain. Cyborg leading the pack and showing no signs of tiring. Garfield bringing up the rear with Toni shouting encouragement at him. "Come on put your stick legs into it." Garfield unable to think of a clever response makes an ugly face at her. She laughs. Making it to the end just out of breath Cyborg and Robin attempt to relax only to be shouted at by another man. He is covered head to toe with a balaclava over his face. "OBSTACLE COURSE NOW!"

Everyone climbs ropes over walls, crawls under barbed wire, runs though tires, and anything else that could be thrown their way. At the end of that they are shouted at to hit the shooting range. This is the first time they get to relax but not to sit down. They must continue standing and hold the new rifles they have been given. Slade addresses them all. "You have been given weapons to match each of your profiles. Look around, you do not each have the exact same set up. You will train with yours and only with yours. You will know the better than your own hands. Every part. How it operates, what it's for, and what part it plays in the weapon. You will have them with you at all times whenever your on campus. They are now extensions of your body. Treat them as such. Now everyone take a position." He gestures towards the range.

Each person takes a position. "Now fire off a test round." The whole team fires in near synchronization. The thud hits Raven's shoulder when her eyes have closed from the explosion going off in her hands. She also notices that strangely the bullet didn't go exactly where she was aiming. Her perceptive senses give her some indication that the others we're experiencing the same thing. Slade continues to talk. "Observe how it feels. Where does the shot enter the Target? THat is going to be the worst shot you'll ever take with your weapon. You'll empty one magazine here then move to the next range. You will do the same their and proceed until you reach the end of the course."

Firing off the weapon strikes one inescapable feeling in Robin. It feels wrong. Is this what it felt like when that man gunned down his parents. Some illusion of power? This is wrong. He continues on only because he knows more things are going to happen. He has to know what's going on here.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The lunch hour has begun. So far this morning has been nothing but strenuous hell. Falling from a plane, running a mile, going through an obstacle course, shooting at a firing range. It's all some James Bond sounding shit. Raven smacks her food tray on the table and begins to devour whatever she put on it during her lack of food high.

Garfield's tray slaps onto the opposite side of the table. He begins his usual smooth talk. "Hey Rave, how's it goin'? She gives no reply, just her usual 'fuck off' glare and a mouth full of food. "So turns out my codename is 'Beast'. Pretty cool huh." Garfield continues while shoving a large stalk of broccoli in his mouth.

Raven delivers a monotonous reply. "More like Beast 'Boy'." Completely missing the whole point behind her tone Garfield ponders for a second. "Hmm…Both tough and marketable to children. I like it." Raven rolls her eyes at his stupidity. The corner of her eyes catches something. She looks over and sees Jinx sitting across from Victor. Apparently having a very entertaining conversation involving googley eyes.

Garfield is paying attention to them also. Thinking it might be the time to make a move he goes to says something only to be interrupted by the school bell ringing. Raven is grabbed by Jinx and pulled off. She is taken back into their room. She finds a light brown uniform folded and sitting on her bed. "What's this?" She asks. Jinx informs her, "it's your school uniform. You have to where this to attend class."

"and If I don't?"

"You have to run five miles and then put it on. It's not an option. Though I recommend showering first."

Taking what Jinx said seriously Raven pulls her shirt off to get into the shower. Jinx first notices her surprisingly good looking body she hides beneath her clothing. "Jeez girl, you mind sharing some of those boobs." Raven looks back at her a little confused. "They're not that big. Only a C. " Raven explains. Jinx replies with "Well in case you haven't noticed…" She pulls her shirt tight around her chest to emphasize her lack of bust.

Raven shrugs off the conversation. She starts to pull her pants down when Jinx asks, "What's that one tattoo say on your back? The one by the bird." Raven starts reciting the poem engraved in her skin. "_Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before_…"

The days turned into weeks. It's hard to imagine people getting used to something as grueling as their daily routine. Wake up, jump out of and airplane, mile run, obstacle course, mile run, shooting range, then education. It wears them down. Only the strongest, be it of will or physical prowess, can shine through. Garfield unfortunately can't take it all. He lags behind everyday and is the last to finish the course. He grades certainly haven't improved.

At the end of the obstacle one morning he is addressed by Slade himself. "Beast." Garfield is almost collapsed from exhaustion. "that's not my.."

"It's your name while your here. Instead of going to class I want you to come to my office after lunch." Slade walks away after that rather discouraging statement. He sits at lunch without an appetite just picking his fork at his food. He glances over across the cafeteria at Raven. Normally he would go over their and attempt to make her smile, but not today. Victor, who is sitting across from him, takes note of the way he's acting. "Yo man, whats the deal? Why don't you go make a move like you always do."

"I'm just tired today. What about the pink haired girl your hooking up with?"

"We're not hooked up. At least for now. We're just talking."

"At least you guys are talking. I can't even get her to look at me."

"She's just not a people person. I've never seen her talking with anybody in class." Victor Gestures over to a blonde girl a few tables back. "Why don't you try talking to her." She looks away when Garfield checks over his shoulder. "She stares at you everyday." The lunch bell rings before Victor can continue his encouragement. Garfield ducks out of the cafeteria and heads to Slades office.

He enters assuming the worse. The tiny little manic depressive nymph that lives in his mind head was working on overdrive. Spewing back every single disconcerting notion it could. The longer he had to sit their waiting the stronger his heart would pump. What he wouldn't give to be trailing behind he group on the mile run.

He shown into his office by the secretary. He takes a seat in a chair, hunched over and twiddling his thumbs. Slade doesn't say anything for a moment. He only observes the person in front of him who's clearly still a child. He might have the age of a young man, but he appears to take on no real responsibility. Nothing that's made him very tough. He might not be suitable for this program. Yet again it's too late to consider otherwise.

"Beast." Slade addresses him with his codename. Garfield replies with, "but my name is-" "Here your name is Beast. Your are supposed to address everyone at this academy by their code name. No exceptions."

"Yes sir." he says with his head down.

"I've called you here because of your poor performance. Your dead last everyday during the physical training, and are barely hanging on in academics." He continues. Garfield's head slumps even further. "If you continue this way, then unfortunately we will have to get rid of you. However." That last word causes his ears to shoot up. His attention immediately back to Slades face, which has never strayed from staring at Garfield. "I have one irreversible option. It will likely change your life and who you are forever. But, the question is not wether or not you want this, but do you understand what it means for you."

* * *

><p>"Raven! Raven!" Jinx shouts at her new roomy.<p>

In her trademark monotone 'fuck off' voice Raven replies with, "What?…"

"Are you coming to the concert tonight or not?"

"I wasn't planning on it."

"Oh. So you're just going to stay here and be boring." Jinx says with a slight bitch to her tone. Raven just glares at her insult. Jinx Walks over to her and grabs her wrist. "I've made up your mind. You're coming."

Raven moans out, "Why am I going?" whilst being dragged down the hall.

"It's my duty as your handler / new and possibly only friend to help you get a life."

They stop at another room. Jinx opens the door and a blast off heavy metal or some very angry sounding music blares out. A blond girl in a red shirt, blue jeans, and boots sits on her bed doing something on her computer. Jinx get's her attention.

"Hey Cassie you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Ready as I'll ever be."

"Oh but real quick, do you have any spare boots for Rave here. I'm not letting her wear _those_ tonight."

"Sure…she can use my older ones." Without turning her attention to the girls, Cassie reaches down and throws a pair of dark navy blue rocker boots over to them. Raven watches them land. She then asks, "what's wrong with my shoes? and where are we going?"

Jinx replies like an older sister or a mother almost. At least that's how Raven took it. "_those_ won't last two minutes where we're gonna be. And to answer your second question we're going somewhere called fun. So you can see it for yourself." Her tone is not lost on Raven. It's not worth the time to argue. Soon enough Raven has thrown on the boots but kept the rest of her outfit as standard. Black shirt, jeans. That's it. Jinx happens to be sporting a grey tank top over a purple bra, daisy dukes, striped purple and pink stockings and her fave punk boots with purple soul.

'_Because she's so classy_' Raven's inner monologue chimes. They all meet up outside the school. Raven, Jinx, Robin, Karen, Toni, Roy and Cassie. Victor pulls around front with his car. Robin, Raven, Jinx, and Karen hop in. Toni and Roy hop on Toni's bike.

Inside the car Raven has been given shotgun since Robin and Karen likely want to enjoy each others company. Victor has his subwoofers vibrating hard with dubstep. Though Raven doesn't exactly show it, Victor can tell she's getting annoyed so he turns it down. He catches a glance from her that he acknowledges as a thank you. She asks him, "So…you like the kind of band we're going to see?"

"Not really my taste, but you never know when your gonna make memories worth keeping. And based on this crew, something goods bound to happen." He looks back over his shoulder to spot Jinx given him a rather intense half lidded grin. Raven doesn't spot this. Her attention is on the passing urban area they're passing through.

Robin catches the exchange between Victor and Jinx. He pays no mind to it. Instead he's more interested in what Raven is doing here. "Hey Raven." Her head turns to his attention as he continues, "I'm kind of curious why you decided to join us." Raven glances down at the center console to concoct an answer. Jinx decides to answer for her. "I didn't give her any choice."

Robin turns to Jinx then back to Raven. Eyebrow cocked, "Really, she just dragged you along?"

"More or less." Raven responds without making any eye contact. Instead she glances away and notices the thigh high converse Karen is in. And the jeans. And the girly shirt she happens to be wearing. Ass length red hair done up in a massive braid. And the fact she's easily over 6ft tall. "Raven?" Robin voice breaks into her focus. "What?" she says recoiling. Victor interrupts, "So she decided to come along. Is it such a big deal?"

"No. I'm just a bit surprised. You never struck me as the hanging out type." Though his intention is merely trying to have a conversation with her, he doesn't realize how those comments cut into her. Everyone always says the same thing. She flips back around to her window. "I'm just different." She murmurs just enough to be heard. Robin goes to apologize but is interrupted by his tenor voice girlfriend. "Perhaps sometime this week you would like to come shopping? I've seen stuff at the store that, though I wouldn't be able to wear, would look most wonderful on-" "No" Ravens rasp cuts her off.

Karen doesn't react so well to someone being rude. She doesn't quite understand why someone would be negative in anyway. People in the world should always aim for happiness. But Raven is a mystery. Jinx comes in to break the tension. "So Karen, tell me you got some good herb."

"I most certainly do." She replies with a smile and pulls a small baggy of pre ground weed from her bra and hands it to Jinx. Jinx opens the baggy and takes a small with of the odor. Raven and Victor can easily smell it. "Hey man, put that away before you stink up my baby."

"Man that's good. Better take this easy when we're there." Jinx shoves the baggy back into Karens tits. She cops a feel. "Your boobs are nice." Karen at first surprised, decides to play. She reaches over and grabs what's barely a handful. "Your's are very, um, interesting."

"You mean small."

"Oh, no. I mean cute."

"Like I haven't hear that before. Cute implies little. Even Raven's got bigger hooters than me."

Raven interjects without looking away from the window. "If it's such a problem, get a boob job."

"I _plan_ to. But It's not happening until I got enough money for a good one." The girls continue this discussion. Robin and Victor exchange glances in the rearview mirror.

They finally arrive at the destination. Robin and Victor endured a very insightful conversation. The whole gang meets up out of a small joint. it would seem to be the size of a closet by Raven's guess. They bump into Cassie, Roy, and Toni. When Raven inquired how Cassie arrived she simply said she got a ride with a friend.

Everyone waited on the curb outside. They all chatted except for Raven and Cassie. Those two just smoked cigarettes and watched the traffic pass. Cassie didn't realize how low she is on cigarettes and need to grab another pack before the show begins. She get's up and starts walking down the street. Robin suggests Raven goes with her. upon her expected rejection Jinx informs her that she will be writing a very detail behavior report at the end of each month, and if she doesn't show signs of 'normalcy' she'll have to see a shrink.

Knowing how unbearable that would be she agrees. Cassie and Raven walk down the sidewalk just after sunset. They both have new packs of cigarettes. Cassie looks over at Raven and asks an odd question. "Can you fly?" Raven is at first caught off guard, "What?"

"I said, 'can you fly?' "

"Yeah. Sorry odd question." They both lift off the ground. Raven thought she was the only one who could. They both float through the night sky towards the club. Raven has to ask her, "How is this possible?" Both of them stop in mid air.

"Didn't they explain anything to you at the school?"

"They just gave me some bullshit about being gifted and the school helping up developing our 'abilities' and shit"

"That's the same horse shit they tell all of us. The truth is that we're all just a fucking experiment. This shit isn't natural." She gestures which Raven reads as them flying. "If you're at THIS school then that means your mom knows what going on."

"I don't get it. What's going on?"

"Listen. You, me, us. All the shit we can do. It's all the result of some experiment. Some shit was given to our parents and now they want to see what's going on with us. Have you been strapped into a machine yet?"

"Nothing but all those scans they gave me when I first got here."

"Jesus. And you can already fucking fly!? When they strap you in, I hope they watch out."

"Strap me into what?"


	8. Chapter 8

The leather restraints creak as they're tightened around Garfield's wrists and ankles. He watches men in lab coats finish preparing the room and the machine he's strapped to. He looks up to a window to see Slade staring down at him. He's gives Garfield an assuring nod before looking over to the other men in the room. They signal to him that they are ready and then exit the room. A door clangs shut. For a moment Garfield can only hear his own breathing and the sound of the blood pumping through his neck.

A loud click causes him to jump. It's followed by a low rumble that increases like a jet plane. It's accompanied by a thumping noises that's similar to a CT Scan machine. The noise grows louder and louder. The steel table he's strapped to tilts backwards until he's flat on his back. His mind races along with his heart. He's never known fear like this. The table slides back slowly into a small cylindrical opening. The sound echos around the tub. He tries to hang on to his sanity while he slowly creeps into the machine. Once he's fully inside another high-pitched noise joins the frenzy of sound that already bombarding him. Then, a flash of lights erupts into the tube.

"So does it hurt?" Raven asks Cassie.

"It does. It's different for everyone so I can't tell you what you'll feel."

"So this thing shoots you with radiation the reacts with some chemical they put in you?"

"It's already inside you. We're born with it. That's the fucked up part. This is all from something our parents got involved in. They started some ridiculous program and now they passed it on to us."

That has to be why Raven can do these things. Why wouldn't it be. No one else can do anything like this. "So… if we can already do this stuff why do we need to go into that machine?"

"Right now you're just barely able to do anything. Trust me, when you get into that machine, this shit get's real." Cassie says. They make their way back to the club in time for the door to open. They snuff out their cigarettes and head inside. Their hands are marked with X's indicating they are underage. After about 20 minutes has passed the first band makes their way to the stage. After about 10 minutes of sound checks they start banging away on their instruments playing at high speed. It's some shitty punk song that Raven can barely make out with the high end frequencies ricocheting of the solid wall and into her ears at high volume.

It sounds like shit, so Raven goes outside to have another cigarette. She lights it up with a simple 'yay cancer' passing through her mind. Sometimes it seems like the cigarettes are her only friends.

On the inside of the club at the bar, Dick leans back on a stool watching the band from a distance, with his phone out just typing away as always. Karen is having a good time even though this music isn't much of his thing. It's pretty obvious looking at his unbuttoned long sleeve white business shirt over a black wife beater. With slacks and Nikes to match. He looks around the club throughout the smoke-filled atmosphere lights and sound to the various members of his group. Victor and Jinx seem to be hitting it off.

It doesn't take long for Richard to realize that Raven is nowhere to be found. It doesn't take the worlds greatest detective to figure out where she went. He heads outside to find her on a bench again inhaling from her cigarette. He asks, "Hey why don't you come inside?" She looks over at him, then spits on the ground from her smoke before taking another drag. Richard continues, "You mind answering me." Raven again just looked over at him. Since she's been in a bit of a mood since the beginning of time she finally replies with, "You mind fucking off?" And with that Richard becomes dick, "What's your problem Raven!? I come out here to see if you're alright and you tell me to fuck off!?"

"Like you could fucking understand."

"Try me."

"Try you? You're rich. What the fuck do you have to deal with. Everything gets handed to you while the rest of us get fucked."

"Really. Are YOUR parents dead?" Richards sentence actually causes Raven to freeze. The cigarette filter an inch from her lips. She looks up at him.

He continues, "Just so you know, I watched my parents die. Someone killed them over money. The only reason I lived with Mr. Wayne is because he felt sorry for me. I read your file, I know you never met your father. I know you've had a hard life but don't dare think you're the only one." He takes a moment to calm himself. Raven averts her eyes back down to the ground.

Richard has one last thing to say. "I'm gonna go back inside. You can stay out here and sulk if you want. But I bet if you come inside you might enjoy yourself."

Raven avoids eye contact as she says. "Don't assume you know anything."

Robin heads back inside, confident that he got his point across. He walks back in to find the opening act breaking down while the headliner sets up. Karen grabs his arm and moves him into a spot. "Please stand right there." She says and then ducks down to take rip from a small pipe she smuggled in. Richard just rolls his eyes. He hates that she does this stuff but he believes in letting people enjoy themselves. When Karen is finished he heads back to resume his seat at the bar just as the house lights lower for the main act.

Guitars start with no bass or drum. The singers words build up in energy. He finishes the verse and the beat drops in. At that moment the room looks like it an old medieval battle with bodies slamming into each other in and out of time with the beat of the song. The voices shout to match the volume of the PA system through the haze in the rooms atmosphere.

The corner of his eye catches Raven coming in through the doorway. A look of complete discomfort covers her whole body. It's not long before she is yanked into the circle pit and thrown around like a pillow at a sleepover. Sweaty bodies slamming into each other in a blur of heat and chaos. The energy being exuded makes it difficult for many to breath, though few care as they continue to thrash around. Raven get's shoved again and again. Finally she has enough and throws herself back at people. She bounces off of people and gets sucked into the vibe in the atmosphere until, she actually begins to smile. She almost giggles to herself a little due to the overwhelming energy level she's experiencing when out of the blur Karen bumps into her. She smiles like no other and give Raven a generous hug and due to their height difference Ravens head slaps right into Karens enormous buxom. People can practically see the word 'squish' appear in hologram.

The vortex of punk rockers quickly pulls them apart. The first song comes to an end and Ravens chest is pounding. She's used to physically exerting herself from the couple of months of training but this is surprisingly overwhelming. The heat mixed with the constant movement and short breaths has made it very apparent that she needs a break. She moves through the crowd and catches a glimpse through the bangs stuck to her sweaty face of Jinx sitting on Victors shoulders. Jinx looks right back at her with a thumbs up and then bends forward to shove her tongue down Victors throat. Raven shakes her head and laughs off how crazy that bitch is. Raven doesn't even realize she's smiling. Something that ought to be a foreign sensation to her.

She gets to the bar and asks for water. She get's handed her plastic cup of ice and liquid. She drinks from it as though she were a desert traveler. She looks over at Richard as he wears the worlds greatest 'I told you so' smirk. Raven flips him off and heads back down into the chaos.

After all is said and done the whole crew heads back to their respective vehicles. Jinx stares at Raven during the walk. After a minute or two she says. "You're smiling."

"What? So." Raven says instantly reverting back to her normal stoic face.

"You know it's okay to smile right, people might actually think you're human."

"If you'd shut your mouth once in a while maybe people wouldn't think you're a bitch."

"When the fuck did you become little miss snarky."

Raven actually has to bite her tongue to keep herself from grinning. Pissing off Jinx might become a hobby. All of them shuffle into the dormitory of the school headed down the main hall. the sight of a figure turning the corner stops everyone in their tracks. It's Garfield in a pair of sweat pants headed back to his room. He waves and says 'hey guys' to everyone. even with their energy drained from the concert all of their eyes are wide with shock. Jinx phrases the groups reaction best. "Holy fuck…"


	9. Chapter 9

The next day was filled with buzz and excitement amongst both the students and the faculty at HIVE. Garfield's transformation from what most people call a dude to a MAN was mind-boggling to those students who hadn't undergone the enhancement procedure. It didn't change him to much. It essentially brought him into peak physical ability. He could see and hear better, run faster, jump higher, and most important of all fight better.

His academic scores hadn't improved like was hoped. But his physical ability was staggering. He completed the obstacle course faster than almost anyone. He was giving Cyborg a run for his money. Slade, Diana, and Mod we're all observing. Including Sebastian Blood. A man with an ominous name for a headmaster. All of them are pleased with the results of 'project Beast' the first official subject in the latest batch of students. Though Blood happened to have his eye on someone else. A black haired amazon who made her way through the obstacle course and combat range with intense ferocity. Cameron.

He says to the other staff, "Everything looks to be in order here. I've seen all I need to." And then heads back to the main facility of the school. Mod looks over at Slade and Diana and quips, "Wonder what that nutter was so focused on. He didn't look at Beast much at all."

"I'll keep a close eye on him. As always." Slade remarks while observing the students make their way to the firing Range. All of them had become quite comfortable with the idea of firing a weapon. The bullets popped from the rifles. All of them hitting the center of mass on the human shaped targets. As any professional would. It was quiet clear to one of them that this was something she didn't enjoy. Karen, or project Starfire as she is designated, has been very uncomfortable with this from the start. She never liked guns or violence. The idea that this was to help each of them with controlling the abilities they supposedly had. She approaches the staff and asks them, "Excuse me. I would prefer it if I did not have to use these weapons. I am quite uncomfortable with them."

Diana steps forward. She grabs the gun from Starfires hand and gives it to Slade for him to hold it. Diana whips around and swings at Starfire catching her off guard. Starfire manages to block the hit so Diana swing with her other hand. Starfire catches that one swell. Holding both of Diana's wrists she shoves her foot into Diana's torso on pure instinct. Diana's impressed by this. She tells Starfire "After class come to my office. I need to speak with you. Now back to your training, dismissed." Starfire walks off with a confused look on her face.

Diana turns to Slade. "She's a natural fighter. If she doesn't want to shoot then she better learn to swing a real punch."

"She may know how to fight but I don't think she'll want to. How do you plan to fix that?" Mod asks.

"The answer to that one is simple Mod." Bloods voice chimes in. "You give her a reason to fight. It works every time." His presence is a bit surprising since everyone saw him walk off. Just as quickly as he returned he walks away again. "Bloody weirdo" Mod remarks.

The day continues on. Due to the overall success of 'The Procedure' on Beast it's decided that later that evening the rest of the group would receive it. Starfire and Blackfire receive theirs first. It went over the same as Beasts. Both of them were nervous but the procedure was over quite quickly. Though the results haven't become apparent quite yet. Unknown to everyone Robin has managed his way into the air ducts. He's followed the nights activities and is now looking in on the room which contains the equipment to perform 'The Procedure'.

He observes over the procedure on Raven, who is the third person to get it. She lies on the metal table in the restraints. She steadies her breathing to maintain her always perfect poker face. Slowly she slid into the machine her heart pounded. The blackness, the mechanical noises, the cold steel. All of it sends her back to being a little girl. Opened up nightmares long forgotten, then a sensation hit. The radiation from the machine hit her bloodstream and mixes with her panic attack to cause a seizure. The whole room begins to shake. Lights flash and break. Metal table contort and fly across the room. The window through which Slade and the other scientist shatters. Glass cutting some. Other head to the controls to try to stop the machine. They spark and explode. A shadow encapsulates one of them and drags him through the room. Slade runs into the room with a fire ax and slams it down upon the power lines leading to the machine.

The power is cut but the chaos doesn't stop. The machine explodes, Raven floats up into the air eyes glowing red, hair fluttering in a wind that doesn't have a source. One brave soul leaps through the air and yanks her down. Another jams a vial of powerful sedative into her. After a moment the chaos subsides. Slade stands up and wipes the sweat off his brow. He stomps out of the room in a fury.

Raven finds herself on a long seeming endless floating stone road. Black holes that have a red glow outside of them, like a blacked out sun emitting light. She here's the word 'nevermore' in a quiet whisper. The chill runs up her already tensed spine. She looks around and see nothing but red stars. She stares at them because they seem out-of-place even in this world. With a whoosh the fly at her like bats. The red stars are the eyes of these creatures she crouches into the fetal position as the creature swarm around her. The word 'Nevermore' grows in repetition and volume until it's unbearable. Until Raven lets out a scream that brings her into consciousness.

She is in her bed staring at the ceiling. Sweat beaded to her face. She hers Jinx voice, "Are you okay!?"

She lets out a gravely and nervous "Yeah." In response.

"You scared the shit out of me! What the hell was that?" Jinx demands in both anger and concern. Raven doesn't reply. She simply walk into the bathroom and turns on the show. She strips down and enters. The water is warm but she turns the knob slowly making the water colder. Her mind tries to organize the events of the evening. The machine, the nightmare. She sits down onto the shower floor. The water still spattering off her. She leans over, placing her cheek onto the cold tile wall. Her mind races until one completely flawlessly logical thought comes into focus. 'What the hell am I doing here?'

Slade flips on the light switch in his office to surprise Robin. Caught in the act of searching through Slades file cabinet to dig up the information on exactly what the hell is going on around here. "I was wondering when you'd try this Robin." Slade states matter of factly.

"How could you know I was here?"

"You've been listening in the whole night. You've seen everything haven't you. It was only a matter of time until you would come here."

Robin stares at him trying to figure out how he could have known, "Your breathing needs work. I doubt anyone else could pick it up, but then again they haven't been through the training I have." Slade clarifies. He walks over to his desk and gestures for Robin to take a seat. He does. Though ever cautiously. Slade unlocks a safe under his desk and pulls out the files for the seven students taken from his high school after the incident at the football game. He flips them open. Each one of them has a 'project name' and bio within.

"None of you could have possibly realized why you're here. How little control in all of this you actually have. When you first came to this place Robin, I told you a simple fact. That you, are the control in a group of variables. What you see in these files is information that only few at this facility know about. Which now includes you."

"Why would you tell me this? It doesn't make any sense."

"Because I can trust you with it. You out of all others have the right set of mind. Your the one who will be leading them in battle."

"Battle?"

"Yes Robin. That's where the military training comes in. Everyone in these files is the byproduct of military research. Except for you. You had the fortune of being taken in by Mr. Wayne. He, along with myself, Diana, and everyone's parents were all parts of a special unit. We were given a serum known simply as 'the god formula'. This serum would cause a mutation in the subject. In either the mind like Raven, in the body like Beast, or sometimes both. Like in your girlfriend Starfire. At first the results were promising. We were capable of amazing things. Except for me. I was in the same position then as you are now. The control in a group of test subjects. Given the same training and experience, but no serum."

"Who started all of this?"

"Blood. A long time ago he was a P.O.W. in Vietnam. After days of torture, he became delirious and had visions. He dreamt of ways to increase human potential, of men who could free themselves from those brutal conditions, men who could perform with the strength of an entire squadron in their bare hands. When he was finally freed from his imprisonment he set out to accomplish his goals. After nearly a decade he had his wish."

"So now were all just experiments? This is wrong. How can you let this go on?"

"There are factors beyond my control. This entire thing got out of control fast. There are many things I regret. Namely this." He gestures to his eye patch. "It was caused by Ravens father. A man who gain such strength he was worshipped as a god by some. But I knew the truth. He was an asshole, and nothing more. The men who worshipped him included Blood. He's known as Brother Blood, or at least he was. I'm positive he's still running some kind of sick church. I also believe they were behind the attack at the football game."

"What do they want?"

"They believe that Raven will be a portal to the return of their beloved god. That he will once again walk the earth. They want her. They need her. They'll brainwash her and make her believe all this bullshit. That's partly why she's here. The learn to defend herself. So that she can be protected from them."

"So you brought her here. Close to Blood."

"You see the problem. I've been keeping a close eye on him. I need you to keep a close eye on Raven. That's why I'm telling you this. Because She needs people to keep her safe."

"You expect me to cover for your mistakes."

"No I don't. I expect you to protect a friend. I'll atone for my sins. As will everyone."


	10. Chapter 10

Cameron walks down a hallway dressed in the educational uniform given to her. It matches all the others. A tan colored jacket and skirt with business heels and dark stalkings. She has her hair pulled back and tied though it still hangs down below her shoulder blades. She is on her way to the education portion of the daily routine. She found herself somehow enjoying conformity. Or maybe it was just the self discipline she has gained since coming here. She has always been a party girl for sure and never gave a shit about schooling. But here? Well this place seemed to be drooling with opportunity. She knew that underneath her seemingly wild demeanor lies a focused and very smart woman. It's started to show in the past few days. She'd just gotten an earful about it from her room mate Amy.

Her room mate is a bit of a party girl. She is also down to earth. Something that has forever eluded her sister. A sister she has been more or less forced to care for all these years. She didn't have to uphold that responsibility here though. Their are plenty of others to look after her now.

Cameron gets halfway to her classroom when a older man stops here. She recognizes him as Mr. Blood. She knows he is one of the administration staff members here. Most people don't see him much though. She asks him, "Can I help you?"

"I'd like to see you in my office please. I would like to have a word with you." He says then turns and walks down the hall. Cameron follows behind him, her heels clicking down the hallway. The man never says anything or turns to look at her. She just follows him, staring down on his head since she is a couple inches taller even without the heels on. They enter his office. Blood sits down behind his desk as Cameron sits in the opposite chair. She sits in good posture with her legs crossed and her hands folded in her lap. Blood leans on his desk with his hands folded together.

He asks, "So. How are things since you've been here?"

"Different."

"Different in a good way I hope."

"Yes."

"Excellent. Now to get to the point. I brought you in here because of your performance on the field. You're doing much better than before you went through the enhancement procedure. You academics haven't improved, but of course their hasn't been much room for improvement. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I'm humbled that you think so highly of me." She says in her sweetest, 'good girl' tone.

"I'm a bit curious though. You see before you came here, you had a bit of a wild streak. Partying, substance abuse, sleeping around...you get the picture." He explains. Cameron just sits there slightly creeped out. But of course it doesn't come as a surprise at this place. 

Blood continues on. "Don't be alarmed. We have intelligence on all of you here. We need to protect our investments. You see, you're coming here was no mistake. All these special things that you can do, it's because of us. And your parents. They have inside of them a serum. It was aimed at giving soldiers enhancement in battle. It worked quite well. And now it's been passed to you."

"What possible reason could you have for telling me this?"

"Because you're smart Cameron. You have such fantastic potential." He says with a slap of his palms on the desk in excitement. He strolls over to stand behind Cameron and begins Massaging her shoulders. The feeling of his hands on her shoulders sends chills down her back. She fights the urge to squirm and keeps her calm, waiting for him to divulge more information. She'll play his game for now. "It will only increase if you understand the inner workings of it all." He explains with enthusiasm. "Come here tonight. I have an experiment I need you to take part in."

"And what might this experiment be?" She asks with a sultry hint to it. Hoping

"You'll see my dear." Cameron exits his office a bit shaken at that mans intensity. That man carriers an unsettling presence. How could he possibly know so much? and what the hell does he mean by investments? She'll show for his little 'experiment' if only to satisfy her curiosity.

Her focused demeanor returns as she heads to class.

After class Garfield, now going by the name Beast, and Victor hang out together playing video games. Real World War 2 is on the TV. The controller buttons click over the sound of the game.

"Yo B, you talk to that girl yet? You know, that blond one." Victor asks.

"Kind of. Like, you know, I said hi and stuff."

"Trust me B, you should go for it. The way that girl looks at you-"

"Okay but I've never had much luck with the ladies. Just look at me."

"Your mirror must be broken because you look, well, let's just say almost as good as me."

"It's kinda new incase you didn't know."

"Dude, you know how many girls are looking at you after whatever that was they did to you. Just talk to her it'll happen."

"Yeah…sure" Beast says with hesitation in his voice. The game ends with a nuke wiping out the map.

"BOOYAH! 25 killstreak baby. OH! WHAT! YEAH SON!" Victor shouts while doing a field goal victory dance.

In Raven and Jinx's room, Jinx is pestering Raven about asking out Garfield. Jinx bends and twists her body with ballet moves. Up on her toes, bending backwards and forth with grace. Raven sits on her computer.

"…And have you seen his new look? At first he was kinda cute in that dopey can't help but feel sorry for him way, but now!? I'd let him rail me any day of the week."

"Subtle. I told you I'm not interested talking to him. He might look…better, but he's still an idiot."

"Well I never said he was perfect. You sure aren't. Besides. I've heard detail about how he always try to talk to you and you act like, well you and it never goes anywhere. Have you even considered talking to him?"

"No…" Raven says making it very clear she won't budge on this topic.

"Do you ever plan to fuck anyone?"

"Do you really have to ask me that..."

"Yes.." Jinx Replies with her trademark smirk.

"Eventually...I guess... doesn't it, you know, hurt?"

"Kind of. It only hurts the first time." She says. Raven has no response. Jinx takes about 5 seconds to grow impatient with her.

"So are you gonna do it?"

"I'm done talking."

"Fine then, have fun being a crazy cat lady."

Raven slips a pair of headphones in and cranks the music loud. The music would consist of songs based around the topic of 'fuck the world'. One side inside her mind wanders through the process of maybe she should listen. She shuts off the notion as best she can. But it's still their in the back of her mind poking at her brain.

In the gym Diana and Starfire are going at hand to hand combat training. To punches from Starfire are blocked and a kick is thrown into her stomach. "Again." Diana orders. Starfire charges at her and swings again. Both fists are blocked. Diana kicks again only now Starfire manages to grab the foot. She twists it hard. Diana jumps up and spins with the action. When the moment is right she kicks Starfire in the face. Starfire falls on her back. Diana raises her foot in the air in order to slam her heel down on Starfire. Starfire kicks out Diana's opposite leg and she tumbles to the ground.

"Better. Again."

"Can I not rest for a moment?"

"You enemies won't let you rests." Diana shouts between swings. "They will pummel you. Pound you. And beat you until your dead." Diana slams Starfire again and again. Finally Starfire's anger takes over. With righteous fury she powers through DIana's defenses and slams her to the ground. In victory she places a foot on DIana's chest. Diana smiles. "Very good" Starfire gives her a hand in getting up.

"I apologizes but I must leave for work."

"Very well. Your getting better. Next week we begin judo practice. Be sure to practice your stretches to keep up your flexibility."

Starfire exits the room and removes the bun she made out of her hair. She bumps into her sister on the way back to her room. Cameron looks on her sister with condescending eyes. Starfire doesn't notice. Starfire get back to her room to find her room mate Karen doing some homework. Karen's codename is Bee. She's is a black girl of average height. Her hair is short teased spikes with gold highlights. She wearing her yellow shirt as she typically does. Starfire take off her robes and strips totally nude in preparation for her shower. Bee is used to seeing her naked at this point. Granted it's not a very normal thing to do.

"Damn girl. Don't you got any modesty?" Bee asks

"I find the human body to be a beautiful thing. Why people cover themselves I've never quite understood."

Bee mumbles to herself, "cause not everybody got a ass like yours."

Now matter what Raven does she cannot escape the thoughts. The possibilities of what might happen if she does ask him out. Is doing something normal something thats worth doing. She might actually be happy. Of course why would she...Her mind goes on for hours. She halfway makes up her mind when she's in the hall. She'll give it a shot. 'No' is the worst thing that could happen.

That decision sends her heart on a tyraid. It slams with each beat. She sees him at the end of the hall through the crowd of people. She tries to steady herself while she walks forward. Breathing slowly, each step taking forever to make. Her slammig in her chest. It stops upon seeing a blond haired girl wrap her arms around him and kiss him on the cheek. Her chest feels like ice. She turns and walks off with her head looking at the ground.

Jinx walks into their room later. She hears a sobbing coming from Ravens bed. She sets down her bag and walks over to the bed. "Raven? What's wrong?"

"I'm fine" Raven wipes her eyes.

"Raven I'm serious what happened?"

"I'm fine..." she heats up slightly.

"RAVEN!"

"I'M FINE!" She shouts and mentally throws Jinx into the wall. Her arm cracks. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!" She shouts and bolts out the door.

Raven grabs her head and grunts in pain. The room vibrates. The items on the nightstands shake and bounce. She sits on the edge of her bed as the pain crushes her head like a vice. She starts taking deep breathes and counting.

"1" Breath... "2" Breath... "3" Breath... "4" Breath... "5" Breath...

The object begin to come to a rest as she continues counting. She reaches ten and everything has finally settled down.

Later that evening Cameron enters Blood's offfice as she agreed. "I'm glad you came. Blackfire." He directs her to follow him. Down the hall and then a flight of stairs. It looks fairly obvious to her that she nor any other students are meant to see this area. They enter a room. It looks like a shooting range. It's a long rectangle. She turns to see a man tied to a chair, gagged, and blind folded.

"What is this?" She asks him. "This is a test. You see that man there, well you're going to take care of him." he says to her and grabs her hand. he starts to rub her fingers. "When I said you have potential. I meant it. Your already aware that you can fly. Which is a remarkable feat by itself. But in these hands you have lethal power." He releases her hands. She stares at them curious. Power is something she never knew she craved. Now though with the knowledge with that she can already peform a super human feat her mind is exploring possibilities. Power is a strange thing and the thought of it peaks her interest.

"Point your hand at him." She obeys. "Now kill him." She is taken aback by that request. She looks back at him. She has hurt people before, but this is different. This is far more serious than leaving someone bruised. "Why?" She asks.

"He responsible for the death of a wife and mother. He deserves this. And you're going to be the one to do it." She looks back at the man in the chair. She's conflicted. She knows that he deserves something horrible to happen to him. Of course just knowing that she somehow has the power within herself to commit such a thing, it's very intriguing.

Blood leans into her ear. "Come on. Take a chance. You're already here afterall." She straightens out her arm, palm pointed at the man. It somehow feels natural. "Find it within you. The control to do it. Search for it-" dark purple the color of a black light flies from he hand and hits the man in the chair. His body explodes. After a moment of shock she looks at her hand. It trembles slightly. The power, it felt amazing.

"Excellent my dear. What do you think.?"

"I think..." A grin forms on her lips "...I like it."

"I'm glad to hear that. In that case I have an assignment for you."


	11. Chapter 11

"Rachael, I understand you don't want to tell me. I won't make you." Dr Quinnzelle continue hacking away at Raven with her 'understanding'. Raven fails to yield. She sits their slightly curled up avoiding eye contact with the doctor. "Raven, I believe I know a way to help. Since this episode has been linked to emotional stress, it would seem that the procedure has had greater effect than we first thought. You need to practice restraint. Meditation might be just what you need. Here." She hands Raven a business card. "She's a yoga instructor. Yoga is a form of meditation and it can also help you keep in shape. It's a win win with the current situation."

Raven exits the room and heads down the hall placing the card into her back pocket. She looks at no one. She simply brushes past everybody on her way to her room. Robin watches her walk by. He goes to Dr. Quinnzelle's office.

"Richard. What can I do for you?" Quinn asks.

"I have a question for you."

"If it involves Rachael or any of the other students I cannot-"

"Please just hear me out." He says taking a seat. The leather creaks as it takes his weight. "I know legally you cannot tell me anything specific. But I've been asked to look after her. I just need to know, is she alright? Is she a danger to herself or anyone else."

"The only real answer is that it's up to her. You know, it's true that you cannot hypnotize a person or affect them with subliminal messaging if, in their mind, they don't want to subjugate themselves to it. Same thing with Rachael. If she really wants to be in control she will be. She is stable enough to do that. It would take a complete mental breakdown for her to endanger herself or anyone else. She's strong. I don't see that happening." Quinn explains. Robin takes in what she's said. He believes her.

"Thank you doctor."

"I'm here to help. How about we talk about you. How are things going with you and Kori?"

"We're doing fine. I'm surprised how well she's taken to this new environment."

"She's not the only one. Given the circumstances that brought all of you here, everyone is taking it quite well. Do you still have those dreams?" He last question hits him in an uncomfortible spot.

"Sometimes. It's strange, before I always had dreams about my parents, but lately it's involved other people. Like, my friends." He manages to confess. He doesn't normally discuss himself on a personal level. But it is nice to have someone to talk with.

"You're a caring person. You've always imagined being there to help your parents. Now, you want to be there for your friends. If you didn't you wouldn't walk in here to ask me about Rachael."

Raven enters her room. Jinx sits on her bed crisscrossed with her computer open and her brightly colored headphones upon her skull. Her eyes glance upward coldly at Raven. Raven doesn't need to try and peer into her mind to know how pissed she is. The cast on her arm coupled with the radiating anger say it all. Raven sits down on her bed. She grabs her computer and types a search for the business card Dr. Quinn gave her.

"So...Can I stay in the room or do you plan on having another temper tantrum?" Jinx says without placing eyes on Raven.

Raven returns the gesture. "That's up to you isn't it." Her mock threat gets no response from Jinx. Her phone buzzes. It's a message from Cassie telling her to come to the roof. As she heads out down the hall she bumps into Victor. She gives a quiet 'sorry' with her eyes averted. He stops from from walking off with a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He asks with genuine concern.

"I'm fine. Sorry about your girlfriend." She shrugs off. She tries to walk off but is stopped again by him.

"I'm not worried about her. She's just over reacting. I'm asking you. Are you okay."

"Why do you care?" she dryly answers, still looking away.

"I assumed I was your friend. And I'm someone who cares about my friends." he explains.

"Look I'm sorry, but don't need someone to look after me."

"If you say so. If you need someone to talk to, I'm all ears." He says, releasing her. She shoves her headphones in to avoid more conversation on her way to the roof. She heads outside and floats up to the roof. On her way there she hers giggling and laughing. It sounds like Starfire. She crests the edge of the roof to see Kori flying around the roof giggling in excitement. Cassie looks over at Raven, "Look what someone learned how to do."

"Oh, it is most wonderful." She exclaims with a huge grin and closed hands.

"This, is why you called me up here?" Raven asks with some annoyance.

Tori chimes in, "Oh no. We've got somethin' much bettah." That doesn't sound good.

"We are taking you on a journey to the mall! It will be wonderful!" Kori beams. Raven retreats mentally. This is going to be a nightmare.

Later that evening Blood is in a command center. Located in the restricted area of the school. "Blackfire, your objective is simple. Retrieve the data and remain undetected." He speaks into the radio microphone in front of him. He watches the monitors on the wall. Blinking with information. A map of her location and her target destination. The camera view from a drone hovering over the objective location.

"And lethal force?" She questions on her earpiece.

"Allowed" A response she was hoping to here. Her plane approaches the destination over Iceland. She is fully outfitted, metal armor covering her shoulders forearms and chest over a black stealth suit. Her boots have similar metal armor on the front covering from knee to toe. She has her hair pulled back into a long braid. She carries a SOCOM pistol outfitted with a silencer and flashlight and 6 backup magazines. She carries a Knife as well, but no rifle.

"Would it kill you to give me a riffle?" She says into her radio.

"That would make this too easy. You don't have a large number of targets. Nor are they well equipped. If you must kill do it from close range. Your pistol is suppressed but is still loud enough to give you away, so use it as a backup. You have your objectives. Now get to it."

"Yes sir." She says almost rolling her eyes. The door to the plane opens. She leaps out with no parachute and uses her flying ability to carry herself the necessary 2 miles to the target. She sets herself at the bottom of a hill. She unlocks the safety on her pistol and crawls up to the peak of the hill overlooking the area. Using small binoculars she surveys the area and radios in.

"I'm here."

"Good. What can you see?"

"Looks like an old farmhouse. I see one man outside with a cigarette. There's light coming from the second floor and nothing else."

"Then make your way there. Avoid detection. Take all the time you need."

She inches her way down the hill on her stomach. Keeping flat trying not to get above the grass line. The man with the cigarette leans up against a parked truck. She makes sure to keep to his back side during her approach. A few shadows can be seen moving through the house. Nothing that can determine accurate numbers. She gets herself underneath the truck and waits. She breathes steady and silent. The only sounds are ambient night winds and this mans breathing. After a moment of intense patience the man finally walks away. She slides out from under the truck and in one swift move wraps her hand around his mouth and shoves her knife up through his back. Holding it for a moment until his breathing stops. She cautiously drags his body to the truck and slides it underneath. Placing the majority of his body between wheels underneath the rear axle in an attempt to blend it with the shape of the truck.

Blood watches her on the monitor through the night vision of the drone overhead. "She's doing well." He remarks to himself.

Blackfire positions herself below the nearest window finally getting a chance to look inside. She can see the shape of a couch in the darkness. Boots sticking off the arm. Her guess is a man is sleeping there. It should be easy enough to slip past him. The front and rear doors both have overhead lights. To easy to get spotted using those. She tests te window she's looking through. it's not locked. Hoping not to make noise she gently giggles the window up about halfway open. enough for someone even of her stature to slip through. She pulls the window back down and takes a position behind the couch.

She wipes sweat from her brow. Adrenaline and fear are crushing through her system. Ever muscle is tight while she sticks her eyes over the top of the back of the couch. A slight glow from the kitchen. Another from upstairs. She looks down at the couch sees the man on it is asleep. Taking the opportunity she shoves the knife into his throat. Once she is satisfied that he is dead she moves to the outside of the kitchen. She looks in to find the next soldier filling a glass of water. She moves silently as he takes a drink. As he swallows he turns seeing her he drops the glass and shouts. He is silenced with the knife blade entering his throat.

She turns and sees no one. Hears nothing. it's impossible for no one to have heard that. She draws her pistol and brings it into position with her knife. She heads towards the stairs. Taking each footstep agonizingly slow. She breath deep. Sweat pours down her face as she makes the agonizing climb.

"Blackfire. What happened?" Her radio buzzes. She doesn't answer. Reaching the top of the stairs. She slowly leans around the doorway with her gun drawn. She see's a computer on a desk emitting the only light in the room. She scans the room and finds no one. Then she spots a closet door slightly a jar. On a hunch she fires a few rounds through the lower section of the door. A man scream in agony and falls out dropping his rifle. She runs and kicks it from him before he has a chance to grab it. She stomps her foot on his neck pinning him down. "Is there anyone else?" The man replies in a foreign language. She empties three rounds into his head.

Blood's voice shouts into her ear, "Blackfire what are you-" She clicks off the radio while turning to the computer. She turns off the laptop and proceeds to rip out the hard drive. A light catches her eye through the window. She flips open the blinds to see a couple sets of headlights heading her way. She clicks on the radio. "We may have a problem." She reports.

Blood looks at the monitors and responds "Looks like to vehicles. Up to an additional 20 men are headed your way. Given the level of priority of the data, I suggest you get your ass out of there."

"It won't be an issue." She says with a bit of confidence. She grabs the AK-74 the man was wielding and gathers a couple of clips off of him as well. The men outside exit their vehicles cautious. They yell at each other in a foreign tongue to Blackfire. Purple light flashes buy them and one vehicle explodes. Everyone turns and looks towards the exploding vehicle. Blackfire pops out from around the corner of the house and fires off round from the assault rifle. Taking down three troops before turning back to avoid returning fire. She leaps into the window of the house. About six troops enter the house while the rest search the area for her. First man into the main room gets a rifle but to the head. The man behind him gets bullets through the chest. She kicks the man behind her into the guys behind him and fires off a couple of rounds. Her pony tail is yanked from behind. Using the momentum she one hand flips backwards, the assailant side stepping her. She pulls her pistol out mid flip and open her crouched landing fire a round into his neck. She turns to to fire a round in the man getting up from her previous kick.

The magazine is empty, she load in the next one with lightening speed. The other troops outside are rushing in from hearing the shots. Using darkness to her advantage one neck is broken and another stabbed. Her adrenaline is at a never before seen high as she tears through three more soldiers. Her eyes glowing slightly from the energy. A few shots fly at her and clip her arm splitting the skin above her elbow. Instantly she's brought back into the reality of the situation. She turns to the direction the bullets came from and throws energy. Two bodies explode. She jumps out of the window of the house and flies up into the air. Hovering above the area she unleashes blast after blast of energy. With her eyes glowing purple she slaughters anybody caught outside.

It's calm. She didn't keep count on the number of men. She lands on the ground and heads back inside. She finds a man shaking in fear, babbling some gibberish. She firs a round into his head. She speaks into her radio. "Send the plane. I'm done here." She grabs the hard drive and a couple of discs next to the computer.

"We have much to talk about my dear." Blood says hiding frustration through teeth. Blackfire leaves the house and flies up to the open door of the plane.


	12. Chapter 12

Raven open the door to her room. She stands there defeated, "Kill me. Please." She says and flops face down onto her bed. Dropping the bag she's holding to the floor.

"Had a good day I see." Jinx snips at her. Ravens turns her face off of her sheets.

"I should break your other arm." She says with a poker face. Jinx doesn't respond. She just stares back for a moment.

"What's wrong with your face?" Jinx asks

"What?" Raven's nervous face sets in.

"Oh my GOD!" Jinx says with growing excitement.

"What?" Raven asks with some real fear.

"You let them give you a makeover, and they still have all their limbs. I am shocked." She says leering into the bag on the floor. " I never pegged you as a shoe type." She says whole scooping out a very heavy rocker boot. She eyes it for a moment then shifts her focus to Raven who says "You like being in pain don't you."

"You caught me. Now please tie me up and punish me mistress." She mocks and continues to rummage through the bag. She pulls out a bulky goth rocker boot. "I don't suppose I'll find any women's shoes in here will I?" Jinx mocks. Raven, deciding to mess with Jinx reaches out mentally and telekinetically removes Jinx's hand from the bag and floats the bag into her closet and slams the door. She holds Jinx in place.

"Let me go!"

"I thought you were into being restrained."

"I was joking."

"I don't know. I kinda like this." She says paying little attention to Jinx. She rolls over and grabs a book and starts reading. Jinx tries to yank her arm away to no avail.

"Let me go dammit." She continues yanking. Raven ignores her, licks her finger tip, and flips a page.

Blackfire strolls into Bloods office, brandishing her ego in a push-up bra. Of anything he could complain about, she accomplished her mission. She steps in with an air of confidence. Her hair still in it's long braid going down her back behind her black shirt with a diamond bedazzled 'Queen' written across her breasts. She sits rather nonchalantly at his desk. Far more relaxed than her previous visits. Swinging her legs over the arm of the chair. She should be, considering she'll have him in the palm of her hand. Blood addresses her, "Just what reason do you have to be so happy?"

"Well..." She pays no direct attention to blood. Instead she inspects her black nail polish. "...I did complete the assignment."

"Right now, you're confirming everything I've believed about you." Blood states with a stoic manner.

"Which would be." The words roll off Blackfire's tongue with the utmost confidence.

"You're a bitch." Blood words strike her bluntly. Her eyes dart at him. Her surprise is hidden bye the murderous look in them. He remarks, "There it is..." He smirks to himself before he continues.

"You walk in here as if you've done no wrong. Like your assignment went without a single mishap. As if you yourself could do no wrong, it makes my blood boil to see such immaturity from a star pupil."

"I did what you asked me to do."

"Hardly. I asked you to very quietly get in and out. And you manged to blow up almost everything. You killed a ridiculously unnecessary amount of people."

"My mission was to retrieve the data."

"Your mission was to do it undetected. Do you know what word means or should I fetch a dictionary!?" His anger boils. Blackfire looks away from him and back at her nails. She smirks to herself and nearly giggles. She fixes her sitting position, removing her legs from the arm of the chair. The part of her personality defining her as a bitch comes front and center. Her voice drips with confidence as she explains:

"And here I was almost respecting you." Her tone incites curiosity from Blood. He becomes very interested in where she is going with this. She leans forward placing her elbows on his desk.

"You see, I did a little research when I got back here. I had a friend look into what this is and after seeing it myself, I'm sure you wouldn't want this to get out. Afterall, you went to such careful measures to get it back."

"Contrary to what you might believe, I do like you. It would be a shame if anything happened." Blood remarks.

"Killing me won't get the cat back in the bag. Of course reparations might help me with the guilt of killing all those innocent soldiers" She over acts fake sadness. Throwing her arm to her head as if she is about to feint. Blood stare at her as she smiles. Pleased with herself. He miscalculated just how dangerous this girl is.

"Hand me the drive, and I'll handle the rest." He extends his hand. She thinks for moment and then places the drive in his hand. She turns to walk out of his office. She stops before opening the door.

"I hope you're feeling generous. After all, what kind of extortionist would I be if I didn't have a few copies lying around." She exits the room. Bloods leans back in his chair and laughs to himself. He grab a glass and a bottle of whiskey from below his desk. In his laughter he quotes the movie Frankenstein. "It's alive. It's alive it's alive it's alive.." he laughs to himself while he fills the glass.

Robin answers the knock at his door. It slides open to Victor. "Yo Rich, I got something you should see." Robin follows him to his room.

"Where's Garfield?"

"He's with Terra. It's why I wanted to show you this now while he's not around." Victor flips open his laptop and hits a few keys. He pulls up a diagram of a chemical chain. Robin looks at but can't make heads or tails of it.

"What is this?" He asks

"Cameron brought me a drive asked me to tell her what was on it. And this is it." Victor explains. Robin leans in close trying to make heads or tails of what's on the screen.

"Where did she get this?"

"She didn't give specifics. Knowing her it's all bullshit. I've go a theory on what this is but I don't know for sure."

"What's your guess?"

"Well...it's a very vague idea, but if you put this in somebody. You might wind up with...us..."

At Kori's Job: "One skinny mocha latte with extra sugar!" she cheerily calls out at the coffee shop. She might be the only person there who has a genuinely happy disposition working in the service industry. She looks over at the door and spots the new arriving for his first day at work. Her face widens to an even bigger smile and she says "Welcome now friend!"

His attention is snapped over to her. He cranes his neck over to her and waves with a shy grin. It's not everyday you encounter a six and a half foot amazon. Samantha, one of the employees walks over and welcomes him to the store. She introduces him to herself and Kori. "I'm Sam, and this is Kori, my Kare bear."

"I'm Daniel." He says. Looking at Kori he attempts to break the ice with a joke. "So, are you a friendly giant or are you planning on eating me?"

Kori doesn't get the joke. "I am aware that I am tall, but I don't believe I'm large enough to eat someone." She smiles awkwardly. Dan looks over at Sam who begins laughing hysterically. She walks up to Kori and grabs her arm and pulls her down to eye level.

"Don't worry, he's not being mean to you. I know your sister is a bit of a bitch but-" Sam begins.

"Though my sister and I do have our differences, she would never say anything bad about me."

Back at hive academy;

"Do you know what it's like having to look after a 6 foot retard?" Cameron says while lying naked on top of her latest boyfriend.

"Can't say I do. I must admit, she's a little to hot to be a retard." Jason says. Receiving a slightly angry glare.

"Trust me. I've had to live with it. Not to mention she's to fucking stupid to know how good she looks."

"I suppose you do?"

"I look absolutely, deadly."

Back in Raven and Jinx's room Jinx is in the middle of her various ballet exercises. Raven hides insides of headphones blasting loud music, typing away on her laptop. Jinx glances over at Raven during her movements. She can somewhat hear the faint sounds coming from Ravens headphones. A Cheshire smirk slides onto her face as she has a wonderfully annoying idea. Using her telekinesis she floats her phone into her hand. She continues her bending and stretching while typing away on her phone searching for the most annoying song she can think of. She comes across a Japanese pop song. Teeth shine through her lips as she plugs in the stereo. Jacking the volume up well past full she plays the song.

The loud blast of a high pitched Japanese girls voice surprises Raven. She cringes slightly and looks over at Jinx, annoyed and raising a brow. Jinx just continues what she was doing. Though it's hard for her to hide the 'I'm being evil' smirk. Raven slaps her computer closed, throws it on the bed and stomps out of the room. Jinx laughs to herself.

Raven squeezes past everyone in the hall popping in the ear buds to her cell phone. Her shoulder bumps into Cameron who shouts, "Watch it bitch!"

"FUCK You!" Raven shouts with a middle finger in the air. Avoiding continuing the fight Raven heads to the roof. She finds a spot to sit, away from sight. She peers out into the evening horizon. She lights her cigarette. After taken a quick puff she mutters to herself. "God, I fucking hate her."

"I hope you're not talking about me?" Cassie says. Raven turns to see her. Surprised she is there.

"No. I'm not."

"Jaz can be a crazy bitch, but she does care. Trust me."

"Since when are you her friend?"

"I can't fucking stand her. I can barely resist the urge to wipe that grin off of her face." Cassie lights up her own cigarette. Raven turns her head to hide a quiet laugh.

"Did you have fun?" Cassie asks after a moment of silence.

"What?" Raven asks having not been paying attention.

"At the mall? All that stuff we bought you? Did you actually enjoy yourself?"

"Yeah, I guess." She replies unsure of herself. She looks away for a moment, retracing the events at the mall. Kori, Cassie, and Toni dragging her through the mall pointing out everything that she needs to try on. Buying everything that she 'just had to have'. Then a question comes into her mind.

"Jaz?" Raven asks.

"That's Jinx' real name. Jasmine. She hates it." Cassie replies. Raven now has a weapon against Jinx. She'll keep that handy.

"Why are you talking to me?" Raven gets to the point.

"I'm trying to figure you out. I don't know anything about you aside from that fact that you're alway moping and Jinx drives you crazy." Cassie tells her. She continues, "How about your parents? Anything going on there?"

"Not really. My mom works at a bar. If the rumours of this place are true, she has a lot to tell me. And I never met my dad. He died before I was born." Raven explains. Halfway making eye contact with Cassie.

"Lucky you. Mine's an asshole." Cassie tells Raven. it's odd to Raven that she was willing to divulge info about herself. Not that it was much. Granted Cassie likely finds it just as strange that Raven is actually talking to her.

In Victor and Garfield's room Victor is playing yet another round of multiplayer. Buttons click, things explode, and he remarks "I gotcha, I GOTCHA now."

The door to their room slides open. Garfield enters like hes in a trance. A slight grin to his face. His hair and clothes disheveled. Victor looks over at him. He absorbs the image and smile comes to his face. "Aw, My MAN! You got some didn't you!?" He shouts in excitement for his friend. Garfield walks in and sits on his bed, still smiling. His only reply is, "yeah."He just sits there and continues to glow.

"See, I told you you could do it." Victor says with his attention returning to the game in front of him.

Back on the roof Cassie finishes off her cigarette. She flicks the but over the edge and stands.

"I doubt you'll agree to this, but there's a party going on later tonight. You care to come along?" She asks looking down at Raven. The process of uncertainty going through Ravens mind is obvious as she looks away. She reluctantly replies with "sure". The word strains out of her mouth.

"Great. I'll hit you up when we're going to leave." The gravel on the roof crunches beneath her feet as she leaves. Raven's uncertainty begins to take hold. She never says yes to anything like this. She just has to assure herself that she can always leave if she wants to. Cassie sends a text message to Victor. 'she'll be there'


	13. Chapter 13

"Dude, you've never gotten laid? Seriously!?" Garfield asks Victor, genuinely surprised.

Victor keeps staring at the TV. "Nah man."

"But Jinx is all over you. Plus you were and football player and cool and stuff. How could you turn all that down?"

"It's not impossible to say no. Especially when you stick to what you believe. And I'm holding out until I have a wife."

"Really? I never took you as a church type."

"I don't run around telling other people what to believe in. I just have faith."

"there's no wrong with it or anything. I just can't believe jinx hasn't-" Garfield starts

"Trust me, she tries. But I swear that girls got issues." Cyborg interrupts.

"Issues?"

"I really shouldn't say." Victor turns to him for a moment. Garfield sits up straight on the edge of the bed.

"I promise I won't say anything. You can trust me." Garfield assures. Victor takes a moment before answering.

"She doesn't know her parents. She never met them." Victor begins to explain. "She needs attention."

"huh. Makes sense I guess. At least Terra's not like that." Garfield flops down on the bed.

"And how is she."

"Awesome... I can't say anything e-" Garfield's phone rings. He checks it. It's Terra. "Hey what's up..." His conversation continues into the hallway as he exits the room. Victors phone buzzes. It's a text from Cassie. 'She'll be there' Victor nods in approval. "Nice but first, TIME TO EAT SOME LEAD FELLAS!" he clicks the controller and shoots away.

Cassie walks down the hall towards her room. She see Kori bubbling her way down the hall. She sign to herself knowing of the impending berating of kindness from the worlds happiest gentle giant.

"Cassandra, I have the most wonderful news!" Kori stops with her hands clapped together grinning as wide as humanly possible.

"What?" Cassie asks with some genuine interest.

"This woman came into my work today and told me she would like to be a model. I got her business card and everything."

figures..."Thats great Kori. If you don't mind I have to get ready."

"What for?"

"I got a party to go to in a little bit."

"Oh, might I tag along?"

"I'll check..." Cassie begins, then she remembers what a pot head this girl is. Good chance she'll bring some with her. "...Sure. I'll let you know when we're leaving" Just as her sentenced is finished she is embraced by a sternum shattering bear hug from.

"Thank you so very much. You are a true friend."

Cameron enters her room to find Slade waiting for her.

"Just give it over and this will go a lot easier." He demands.

"I don't know-" Cameron begins.

"Bullshit. Do you take me for an idiot? You think I don't know what you we're up to for blood." He cuts her off. Cameron's blood begins to boil. Nobody speaks to her like that and gets away with it.

"You have no idea what you have do you. What you have is of serious value."

"Then I'm going to keep my hands on it. At least until I get my compensation." She sneers

"I'd laugh in your face if this wasn't as serious. Cameron, I know how smart you are. I also know how smart you think you are. Truth is, however intelligent you are, you lack experience and good judgement."

"Like knowing when you hold all the right cards." She interjects

"Like knowing when to fold." He leans into face. "And your are about to loose the pot."

"All you have to do is give me what I deserve."

"You don't deserve shit. All you did was bow to the whims of and old kook just so you could get off." He last statement strikes a chord with her. How could he know her well enough to make an accusation like that. How could he be so accurate.

"How could you-"

"That man can keep no secrets from me. Including what he does with you. I know what you have, I know what you did to get it, and I know why. Now give over what copies you've made and this will all disappear."

"And if I don't?" She regains her snotty composure.

"You go away." He looms close to her. "Your not stupid Cameron. I know that. But don't think you can win this." She looks off to the side for a moment. It takes her only a moment to make a decision. She reaches into a slit she cut into her mattress and pulls out a flash drive and hands it to him. "Remember what you learned here tonight." Is all Slade says before he turns and leaves. Cameron's hand ball up into fists wound tight enough to shatter golf balls. Her blood boiling she screams out in rage. Energy blasts out from her eyes and shatters a mirror hanging next to her bed. It falls to the ground. Surprised by this, she is taken aback. She steps towards the mirror and understanding what she just did, grins ever so slightly. Her eyes glow in the reflection back to her.

Cassie opens the door to the house from the garage. Greeting people as she enters, almost having to drag Raven into the house with her. Raven looks around the house and make note of everything. People she doesn't know all over the house. The kitchen has a garbage can filled with ice keeping a keg cold. The condensation on the outside of the can has left the floor drenched. Red plastic cups and small plastic shot glasses litter the counter tops. A table with cups on it surrounded by teenagers all screaming and shouting at each other as they play a game. The house rumbles with music.

"Raven, this is Mason." She ways shy and mutters out a 'hi'.

"Hey...So you ladies need a drink?" Mason asks.

"Yeah, what do you got?" Cassie asks.

"Well, beer. And some liquor. El cheapo vodka and rum."

"What do you think Raven?" Cassie asks her. Mason also turns his attention to her.

"Um...I've never really had any before..." She informs with shame.

"Why am I not surprised." Cassie rolls her eyes.

"If that's the case then I know exactly how to ease her into this situation." Mason says as he flips a red cup in his hand and brings it to the kegs tap. Though he holds the cup tilted the beer still comes out as mostly foam. He fills it only halfway and hands it to Raven.

"You ready?" He asks with a grin. Raven takes the cup. She knows the smell from working in a restaurant. She stares at the bubbles the don't go away. She brings it to her lips. The off tasting foam gets pushed aside by the liquid in the cup. She swallows a gulp with a dissatisfied look.

"That tastes like ass..." She tells them.

"Yeah it's cheap beer. Great for a party though." He says over Cassie's giggling.

"So, you said you have vodka?" Cassie asks.

Mason replies with a "Yep."

"Shots." Cassie says holding up three fingers. Mason grabs the bottle from the fridge and sets up three plastic shot cups. He fills them about halfway and hands one to Raven and Cassie. They all put their shots together.

"Ready?" Mason asks. Raven nods her head.

"Just open your throat and pour it down. Here's to the rest of our lives." He toasts. The all throw the shot back. Mason and Cassie take theirs smooth. Raven coughs slightly at the foreign taste and tingle that's in her throat.

"You good?" Mason asks Raven as she fights off a slight gag reflex.

"The first shot burns, the rest are water. You want to keep drinking that beer or would you ladies care for a mixer?" He asks gesturing to Ravens plastic cup.

"Mix the Vodka with something good. It's probably her first real party and this shit won't do the trick." She grabs Ravens beer and sets in on the fridge. Mason whips up vodka mixed with Lemon Lime soda and gives it to them. Assuring them Ravens isn't as strong as Cassie's. Raven takes a sip and finds it's far more pleasant to taste than straight liquor or beer.

At that moment Jinx and Victor come in behind them.

"No fucking way." Raven hears Jinx voice ring out. "You're at a party. Bravo Cassie." Jinx squeezes past everybody and heads straight to the bottle of Vodka and pours herself a very strong version of the other two girls drink. Victor nobs at Mason and looks down at Raven. Then he looks at her drink and then back to her. She doesn't look comfortable here.

"Are you sure you want to drink Raven?" He asks reaching out for her drink cup. Jinx blocks his hand and explains "Leave her alone Victor. She needs to experience her first real party."

"I'll be fine." Raven says and looks away. Taking a sip of her drink.

"Just take it slow. Okay."

"Or what?"

"You'll regret it." Victor warns. Then he sees a couple of his former football players and runs over to them. Cassie starts having a conversation with mason. Raven start to wander around the house. Sipping her drink and not talking to anybody. She bumps into some random guy. Black hair, kinda emo looking. He excuses himself for bumping into her, then he notices her tattoo running up her arm.

"Nice tat. You got any others?" He inquires knocking back some of his beer.

"Uh, yeah." Raven mutters. She turns and lifts up her shirt enough to see the Raven tattoo across her lower back.

"So your a Poe fan?" The goth kid says.

"Yeah..." Raven answers still uncomfortable with this stranger.

"a very good joke, indeed -an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo" He quotes a line from Poe's 'Cask of Amontillado'

Raven's attention is pulled from her drink to his eyes. And she replies with "But is it not getting late? Will not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato and the rest?" Another line from the same story. It's clear that this is someone she's actually going to like talking to.

Richard and Kori show up a moment later. Kori immediately hugs Cassie. Robin surveys the scene and spots Raven talking to some guy with a drink in her hand. He should keep an eye on her. Kori then hugs Mason. Richard shakes his hand.

"So Kori, you bring some herb?" Cassie asks

"Of course I did." Kori replies.

"Then lets head to the porch. Care to join us Mason?" Cassie asks

"A totally unnecessary question." He replies showing every body to slider door. The group gets outside and forms a circle out of the various pieces of patio furniture. Kori begins roll a blunt while Cassie and Mason make idle chit chat.

Inside Victor is explaining to his former teammates just where hes been. He doesn't give them any crucial details, he just leaves it at him being at military school because the cops and staff at school thought that he and the others were at fault at the football game. Jinx Makes her way over the beer pong table. She spots someone from Hive playing a game of beer pong. She doesn't know who he is, but his spiky red hair is hard to miss. She walks up next to him and runs her nails up and down his back.

"Hey. You look familiar." She says.

He turns at the surprise nails on his back. He has a bit of recognition of her face but he can't pin point it. "Same school maybe?"

"What school is that?" She says.

"Hive?" He says somewhat unsure if he should be telling people about the school.

Jinx put on the dumb girl act, "Oh yeah. *giggle* I thought so. Can I play the next round?" She says taking a drink and running he nails back up and down his back.

"I don't know, ladies aren't always the best at sports." He says with a fake macho smugness

Jinx catches the ball as it bounces of of the cups in front of them. She tosses the ball and sinks a shot with the help of her abilities, but they don't need to know about that. He looks at her with surprised eyebrows, her slick Cheshire smile across her face.

"I'll think about it." He replies with intent to bug her. She slaps his shoulder and continues drinking.

Back out on the porch the blunt has been in rotation and it's Mason's turn. He takes his puff and tries to pass it to Richard. "You smoke?"

"No. I don't do that stuff." Richard replies.

"Really, why not." Mason asks out of genuine curiosity.

"I don't need that stuff to be happy."

"We don't do it to be happy. We do it because we want to."

"To each his own." Robin replies. Ending the conversation.

Inside the whole room cheers as Jinx makes her third shot in a row. The guys on the other side of the table throw their hands up and exclaim "the fuck!?" Jinx flips them off, her pink nails with a black skull glinting in the light.

Raven has been locked in conversation with this goth looking dude for almost an hour. She still doesn't know his name. Somehow she wound up with another drink. And on someone like her with no tolerance, it's clearly having an effect. Her speech is slurring, she giggling at the dumb things this guy says. And she's having a hard time balancing.

Richard excuses himself to use the bathroom. When he comes back inside he see Raven having conversation with someone. Odd for her, but not suspicious. He looks over to the other side of the room and see Jinx and a group of teens throwing back shots. Squinted faces give way to shouts and exhales. Jinx gets all googly eyed with this red haired dude. Victor is still hamming it up with his old school buddies. Time to intercept Jinx.

"Can I speak to you for a second?" He states more so than questions.

"About what?" She spouts after knocking back yet another shot. Richard grabs her arm and pulls her aside. "What the fuck!" she exclaims.

"What do you think you doing?" Richard begins.

"Enjoying myself. Duh." She retorts with annoyance in her voice.

"Your making moves on some guy while Victor is right over there."

"I'm just talking."

"And Rubbing up against him. And making googly eyes. You want to sleep with him."

"Shut up." Jinx spits. She shakes her head trying to force her thoughts through the intoxicated haze. "I'm just having fun. Victor won't-"

"You don't know him like I do."

"I was just saying Victor keeps holding out on me. You know how pent up I am having him around? At least you and the big red giant fuck. You know what I do? I like to fuck my boyfriends." She says in slur. Her finger going between pointing at Richard and herself.

"Just be careful." He warns her.

"I'll be fine." She replies.

"You're not the one I'm worried about." Robin turns to leave the room. He can't see Raven and the guy she was talking with. He walks around through the house until he reaches a hallway. He presses his ear against a closed door. On the other side he hears Raven. Moaning. He doesn't know what to make of this. If he kept a closer eye on her he might've prevented this from happening. Not that he doesn't want Raven to be happy, if anyone deserves it she does. He just doesn't want her to get hurt. With nothing to do in this situation he leaves and heads back out to the porch. Buy this time everyone is laughing at nothing. What remains of the blunt has been snuffed out and left in the ash tray for later use.

Victor sits inside jokes with his other jock buddies. All of them replaying their best moments on and off the field when suddenly Jinx voice rings out over the conversation. "VICTOR! Get you sweet chocolate ass OVER HERE!" He looks at his bros and informs them. "I believe the young lady requires my services. He walks over to her. When he's in range she jumps up and straddles him. Shoving her tongue forcefully into his throat. He breaks off, "Whoa. What did I do now?"

"Nothing." She replies while dragging a finger up his jawline. "I'm just really in the mood for you." She breathes into his ear. She's good, he thinks. But he will not be broken. He just rocks her half conscious body back and fourth. Lets her cling to him in the hazy atmosphere and reverberation sound waves.

The hallway door opens and Raven comes out adjusting her shirt and bra. Her hair slightly dishevelled. The goth dude follows right behind her in similar fashion. Jinx perks up. Though she doesn't get off of Victor. She points and shouts out, "Holy fucking shit girl! I'm so happy for youuuuuu..." Raven just grins. Shyly. Jinx unfastens her legs from Victor and wobbles over to Raven. She grabs Raven's arm and drags her to the counter. She pours shots of rum for the two of them. Jinx throws hers back. Raven take a moment longer but manages. Her face squints from the burn.

The second she recovers, Jinx puts her hands on both of Ravens cheeks and pulls her in for a kiss. Raven, though surprised at first, finds herself returning the favor. Her and Jinx do a tongue dance for the whole party. Victor looks on in sheer awe at the fact that Raven didn't rip Jinx' head off. During the middle of this session the others return from the porch. Just as awestruck as Victor. Kori, being very high walks over to the two. Jinx and Raven look up and pull her into the moment. Now three girls are going at it. Many photographs are taken.

Once all this finally breaks off, Raven and Jinx sit on the floor leaning their backs up against the bottom of the couch. Kori crouches down on hands and knees.

"That was most wonderful." She says with a giggle. "We should go to the porch. I have weed that we never finished."

Jinx agrees. Both the girls walk a very intoxicated Raven to the porch. Outside the girls light and continue smoking the unfinished blunt that was left in the ashtray.

"Just be careful Raven. Inhale a little." Kori advises her. She inhales until the hot smoke leaves her throat raspy and dry. She fight a slight cough as she exhales. Jinx urges her to do one more. Raven does and in doing so she begins to cough hard. Her throat feels like sandpaper. Jinx reaches over and takes the blunt from her and takes a drag herself. Raven coughs for moments. Richard steps outside to check on them.

"Everything alright?" He asks with genuine concern.

"Yes." Jinx and Kori reply. Cassie walks out of the slider. "Rich, I'll handle it." She tells him with a pat on the back. Richard cautiously returns back into the house. Cassie joins the other girls. Raven is barely aware of this through the new sensation of tingling flesh. Her peripheral vision fades as her whole body fades into bliss. She finds herself laughing and laying back on the concrete of the porch. She heres the rest of the girls talking. She thinks she hears Cassie tell her "Your doing fine Raven. Just let it happen." Whatever that means. She closes her eyes and gets an almost kaleidoscope like effect. It's subtle, but it exists. She blinks on and off for what feels like eternity. Finally, her conciousness fades.


	14. Chapter 14

Cameron slams away at a punching bag. She grits her teeth and lays on the power until the chain holding the bag breaks and the bag itself slams into the wall. She breaths heavy, sweat pouring down her face. The thought of Slade words not leaving her mind. "Remember what you've learned here tonight." She grabs her gym bag and heads out back to her dorm. Mod watching her from the door way. She glances at him from the corner of her eye.

In Mod's office. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you!" He screams at Blood.

"I assure you it's not a problem." Blood smirks with absolute smugness. He sits relaxed in the office chair while Mod stands behind his desk, slamming his cane on the ground to emphasize points.

"You knew damn well that little bitch is fucked in the head, and YOU go about making her your fucking dog!"

"Quit pretending you don't see it. Her potential. You realize what kind of asset she could be."

"I do. But unlike you, I remember the last time a subject had potential. You know as well as I do how that turned out." Mod sits down in his chair. Blood rests his chin in his hand.

"She's different. I assure you."

"She's dangerous." Mod says leaning onto the desk.

"Yes. That's what makes he so useful. Her complete disregard for anything and anyone except herself." Blood leans in close. "As long as she thinks shes acting in her own best interest, it won't be a problem for us."

"And what happens when your gone and dead and your dog runs wild."

"I doubt you'll be around long enough to see it. You're closer to death than I am."

"All our heads are on the chopping block. I plan to leave the world in good hands." Mod sits back in his chair. "And here you come, fucking my good intentions."

"Good, is a matter of perspective old friend."

The next morning Jinx awakens to the sound of vomiting in their bathroom. After a minute of returning to consciousness she realizes that Raven is in the bathroom. She laughs to herself slightly. It really was Ravens first party. Jinx hops up out of bed as much as anyone with a hangover can hop. She still feels delirious from the night before. She looks over at the clock and realizes that it's only been 2 hours since they got home. She also realizes that she's fully dressed. Besides her shoes anyway. She wobbles over to the bathroom and finds Raven on all fours, face buried in the toilet bowl. "Having fun?" Jinx asks groggly. Raven moans at her between panting and spitting in the bowl. Jinx' barely open eyes catch the sight of Raven hair with wet and messy split ends. Jinx grabs one of her hair ties from the vanity and pulls Ravens hair back behind her head.

"Here." She says to Raven. Slowly, Raven slumps over almost into a fetal position. Jinx carefully sits herself on the ground. She stares at Raven through her own haze. It's all wearing off but not enough time has passed for her to be at all sober. She has trouble organizing her thoughts together. She has things that she'd like to ask. Raven is too far gone at this point to answer anyway.

She hears the door slide open. She looks up behind herself and sees Garfeild standing the doorway. "What's going on?" He asks clearly having just awoken from sleep.

"Her first party...and what the hell are you doing here, beefcake?" She states, looking him up and down in all his shirtless glory.

"I was on my way back from Terra's room and I thought I heard Raven making some strange noises."

"She was...But I think she's done now." Jinx Slurs. Garfield walks in the bathroom and begins to pick up Raven. Barely conscious she instinctively wraps her arm around his neck as he picks her up. He carries her over to her bed. He sits down and Raven passes out in his lap. Jinx flops backwards onto her bed, patiently awaiting him to leave so she can get back to her super important beauty rest. Her eye rolls down to the site of Raven halfway curled up on Garfields lap.

"I figured little miss moody as someone who got fucked up all the time." She states

"You clearly don't know Raven." He replies. Somewhat amused

"Guess not. It's not my fault she never fucking says anything. She's so fucking like...stubborn and shit..."

"Yeah. She's always like that. I don't get it either." He says. His attention focuses back down to Raven who's completely out cold. He places a hand on her upper arm and rubs up and down from her shoulder to her elbow. "How'd you guys get home?"

"Victor carried her out to his car. She almost blew chunks and he was freaking out the whole ride. I swear he loves that car more than me." She says. Garfield chuckles to himself slightly. He continues rubbing her shoulder gently. He himself is about to fall asleep. He doesn' want to leave her side. This is as close as he's ever been to Raven. She'll never remember it, of course its probably better that way. A snore from Jinx catches his attention. He takes that as his que to leave and careful rolls Raven onto the bed while getting up.

Garfield gets to his room to find Victor splayed out on the couch snoring. The light from the TV flickering through the room. Garfield curls up in his bed and quickly falling asleep while replaying memories of tonight. Being with Tara and being closer to anyone than he ever has before. Being closer to Raven than he ever has. And now he's with a roommate and a best friend he never would've imagined.

The next morning a loud knock pulls Raven out of her sleep. Her body remains heavy while her skull hammers in pain. The taste of vomit still in her throat. She lurches up and takes note of the room. Jinx flopped over on her back snoring louder than a motorcycle. Raven realises they are both fully dressed. She doesn't even remember getting back to the room. Another knock reminds her of why she woke up in the first place. She hobbles to the door, realizing that her crotch is sore. It slides open partly, she peers out with one bloodshot eye. "What?..." she questions without realizing that it is a Hive staff member at the door. Her eye widens when she spots the uniform.

"You're required in Room 407 in 15 minutes Ms. Roth." He says without even acknowledging her tone. Her eyes follow him as he walks away. She's never been required to report to any special room on a saturday. It is a saturday right? She makes her way into the bathroom. She flips on the light and sees herself in the mirror. She looks like a zombie. And she has her hair up. She lets it down to find the ends of the strands dried and crusty. She doesn't have time for a shower so she splashes water on hair face and rinses out the ends of her. She gargles some mouthwash to get rid of the awful taste in her mouth. It helps, but it doesn't remove the dryness. She sits back down on the bed, wanting so desperately to curl up and sleep. But she can't.

She slips on her boots from the night before. One of the pairs bought at the mall. Knee high thick soled combat boots. Perfect for curb stomping people's faces. She laces them up, grabs her phone and heads down the hallway leaving Jinx in the room asleep and unaware. She notices Garfeild up ahead. She walks slow to avoid any conversation with him. She doesn't want to talk with anyone. Just then a hand rests on her shoulder. She looks to see it's just Victor.

"How you feeling?" He asks.

"Like ass..." She replies quietly, not wanting Garfield to hear her. Victor has no reply, just a subtle chuckles to himself. She isn't able to focus her mind enough to peek into his head and see what he's thinking. But she is able to feel that he's relieved. Strange that this guy who she always saw as a big dumb jock is just about the nicest guy on the planet.

"You heading to 407?" He asks.

"Yeah. I don't know why." She replies.

"I don't either. I can't even guess what it's about." they make it to the room. It's this moment that Garfield notices Raven.

"Hey Raven, how was-" He begins

"Not Now." Raven cuts him off without eye contact and makes her way to a desk in the class room. The expression on Garfields face reads 'what gives?' The room is simply a classroom. Slade stands like an omnipresence looming over them. In front of him is a projector pointed at the whiteboard behind him, not turned on. Behind a teachers desk sits Mod. On the opposite side of Slade stands Blood.

As the last of them enter the room an armed troop shuts and locks the door. He pulls down a shade to block any prying eyes. All the teens sit nervously. Half of them nursing a hangover.

"The time has come to see if all your hard work will payoff." Slade begins. He nods his head at the troop in the back of the room. He kills the lights. Slade fire up the projector. As it warms up he continues. "But first, we'll answer a question all of you have had since you first got here." The projector fires an image of the words 'The Titan Initiative Phase 2' on the board. "What is the Titan Initiative? It's been on your minds whether you realize it or not." His eye scans the students. "The short version is, it's a military funded program the specializes in the development of enhanced soldiers. The program was started by Mod, Blood, and Myself. We all fought different battles in the same war. We sustained various injuries, and watched our friends die." His eye looks at Raven upon he word friends. " We all asked the same question. Was it possible to give people something to help them fight harder, last longer, and make it out alive. Supersoldiers is the term hollywood uses for it. But for us it wasn't a movie, or a book, or a cartoon." He motions to Mod who hobbles up out the chair. You can almost hear his bones crack as he positions his weight on his cane.

"Your parents we're all volunteers." He clicks a remote and the slide changes to an image of a scientist in a full body protective suit and gear holding a test tube and dropper. "We developed a serum that tapped into human potential. A nasty urban legend has been circulating for a long time about humans only using 10% of their brain. In reality it's much closer to 25% at rest. When injected with the serum, subjects nervous system and brain activity all increased. Neurons fired at more intense rates than natural. It's similar to how many SSRI drugs work only it affects broader range of nerve activity. Effects varied from person to person, some people experienced increase in physical ability. Others it was mental."

He clicks the remote again and it's replaced by a picture of a doctor holding a newborn. "Then comes you lot. Phase 2. The chemicals that lied dormant in your parents were passed on to you all, in a similar fashion to the way nutrients or drug abuse gets passed on via the umbilical cord. You all were never given the formula because you were born with it inside of you. A few of lied dormant." He looks at Garfield. "Others have been quite aware of it for sometime." He looks at Raven.

Blood steps forward to speak. "And we brought you all here one way or another to train you and hone your abilities. Now it's time to test them out. So we've chosen a few of you for a very special mission. Robin, Cyborg, Beast, Raven, Starfire, Speedy, Bee. All of you will be sent here" He motions to the new slide of a satellite view. "We've found a man in South Africa, a leader of a group of mercenaries who are responsible for the death of over 100 American troops. Many of which were friends of your families."

The teen all look around each other in confusion. Garfield and Raven look at each other in confusion. "You can't make us do that." Garfield protests.

"And how do you figure? Everyone of you in here is more government property than citizens." He hobbles over to Garfield and get in his face. Garfield wears a scowl. "We made you lot. Every one of you. A lot of people have paid money for you to be here. And those people want to see some results."

"Who says any of us are going to fight?" Robin stands up.

"None of you realize how little choice in all of this you actually have." Slade interrupts. "Neither do we. Too many gears are turning to stop now." Slade and Robin stare at one another. "You don't think we would send you in un-prepared or un-protected do you?" Slade motions to the door. The troop opens it and six men enter the room. "All of these troops are navy seals. They are going on the operation. You all will be shadowing them, following their every word. They will keep you safe, or they don't get to come back home."

A few nights later at a local billiard room, Arella walks through the place carrying a tray of pitchers on her shoulder. The cigarette smoke fills the air. The sounds of clacking pools balls and loud music over the PA echo off the walls. She makes smiles and small talk as she passes through to the group of guys who ordered the pitchers.

"Alright boys, anything else I can get you?" She says with a smile she's learned to make genuine over the years.

"I think we're good." One of them replies. The rest nod in agreement. She feels a tap on her shoulder. She turns to find and old friend.

"Scott!" She hugs him quick. He's a few years older than here. Both of them showing age in their weathered faces. In all the years since she's seen him, he hasn't lost his hard edge. Or his chin she's always adored so much. He grins at her appearance as it is now. One of the most skilled warriors he ever met working as a shift lead in a dingy pool hall. Her dark hair that normally flows straight to her shoulder blades is tied up in a bun on her head. She carries herself as a mature woman with experience. With all that she's been through, she should.

"What are you doing here?" She asks.

He sips his beer. "Schooling some younglings. And I have some news for you. Can't say it here."

Her face doesn't shift in appearance. Though she doesn't have to. "My shift ends at 2:30"

"You'll find me." Is all that he says and turns back to his game.

After her work is done Arella finds Scott's car in the parking lot. He sits inside waiting. She opens the passenger door and gets in. She pulls out a cigarette.

"Please smoke in..." The flick of her lighter shuts him up. She take a hurried puff and rests her hand on her fingers without looking at him.

"What do you need to tell me?" She asks. Given her body language she already knows, she just wants him to tell her something else. Anything else.

"Raven has been given her first assignment." Arella inhales hard through her nose in anger.

"That lying mother fucker. This was never supposed to happen. " She takes another drag an bites her lip in frustration.

"I'm only telling you this because I'll be going with her."

"Why?"

"So I can keep her safe."

"Not that. I know why you're going I just... I just wish that for once I didn't have to worry. I've spent years worrying that none of this would catch up to her, and it does. Then I'm promised that she'll be safe there and now she being shipped off to be shot at. She never needed to know."

"She doesn't know. She doesn't know anything about her father. She doesn't know anything about the things he did. Or what any of us did. As far as she knows you never saw combat. I'm telling you, she doesn't know."

"Fine... Just..."

"I don't want to make a promise you're scared I won't be able to keep. But I will."

"Unlike almost anyone else out there, I trust you."

"I thought you trust Slade to after everything he's done for you."

"I've never trusted him. I just never had much choice."


	15. Chapter 15

**Authors note:** Whew, this ones a doozy. I've been meaning to sit down and write this chapter for months now I've just been occupied with so many other things so this had to go on the back burner. I'll be honest, this chapter is a heavy one so I hope that makes up for it.

* * *

><p>Cameron enters Mod's office. He is holding the door for her as she makes her way to the chair in front of his desk. "Let me guess, another lecture on how I fucked up." She says with annoyed sarcasm. Her boots make an audible sound as she walks to the desk. Mod closes the door and makes his way to his desk, balancing himself with his red gem tipper cane.<p>

"I have a question to ask you." He observes Cameron as she sits. Arms folder over her chest. Clearly annoyed with being here. He lets his weight fall back into his chair. He turns to face her, leaning his elbows on the desk.

"How do you feel about headmaster Blood?" His eyes translate his serious tone. Cameron's eyes dart back and fourth across the room. Unsure of how much she can trust him.

"Honestly?" Mod nods at her. "He makes my skin crawl." She almost shivers at the thought of him.

"Thats what I was hoping to hear." Cameron raises a brow. "I think he pegged you wrong. He sent you out on that little task because he thought you are a killer. Something you certainly have a talent for. I have an idea of where your talents really lie."

"Which is?" She questions with narrows bitchy eyes.

"Deception. I want you to get close with him. Remain his right hand so to speak. inform me on everything you can about him. Plans, friendships, who he meets with, where he goes. Everything."

"What good does that do me?"

"You do this and I can assure you a graduation. Even good work in the future."

"Nice offer. Why do you think I'd help you?"

"Because you don't have much choice. Enough people want you out of here already. Do what I ask and your troubles here will disappear." Cameron lets the situation stew in her mind.

Mod continues. "Manipulation is a woman's talent. A natural gift. Men are aggressive creatures who'll slug the bastard they hate right in the face. Women get someone else to do it for them. Passive aggressive by nature. And you my dear have the makings of one truly deceptive bitch."

She grunts at that word. "Think about what I'm asking you to do. You'll get him to trust you. give you information that you get to use to destroy him. No matter what I give you, nothing can beat how you'll feel when he's a broken man."

"Any parameters?"  
>"Just that you will report only to me. Consider this your redemption." He opens the door to his office. Cameron stands and heads out the door. Just as she walks by Mod he tells her. "You won't get another one."<p>

Storming down the hall in a rage is Arella. She makes her way into Slades office. He opens his mouth to speak but Arella smacks him in the face.

"You lying sack of shit! You told me she would be safe! And now I hear that you're sending her off to get killed!" She screams at him.

"I don't have any choice-" He starts

"Bullshit!" She cuts him off. "You can do whatever you want here. Or did you lie about that too!?" Her face is flushed red.

"You just have to trust me. I swear I-"

"Fuck you! When have I ever had reason to trust you!? All you've ever done is lied and manipulated me. You still lie and manipulate. Look at all these young kids you're treating like some fucking lab rats. You and all the other ass holes here. These kids don't deserve this!" She rants. Slade bites his teeth, grabs Arellas shoulders tight and pushes her against the back wall.

"DO YOU THINK THIS IS WHAT I WANTED!" He screams. "Yes I made a mistake. Yes I lied. Yes people got hurt. But I never asked for any of this. None of us did! I do what I have to do to because I have no choice." Arellas face scrunches up and tears well out of her eyes in a mix of fear, anger, and sadness. Slade continues on. "After all that I did to protect you and your daughter. I put my life on the line with the others and we tried our hardest to make amends for our mistake. No one wants this to end more than me."

Arella shakes him off and wipes some tears from her eyes to regain her composure. "I remember perfectly well what happened. But you're wrong, you don't want this to end. If you did you would've pulled the plug long before I was involved. And you don't have to send Raven or any of these other children to fight. They're not dogs or guinea pigs. They're people who deserve to live their life they way they want to."

"Yes they do. Not that many people get what they deserve. I'm paying for my mistakes, we all are. Don't pretend that you're innocent from this either. You were enthusiastic about this until Trent came around. That's when everything went downhill."

"I made my decision. I left. You decided to keep being someone's pet monkey. What are you so afraid is going to happen if you say no?"

"If I say no then what happens? Some slicked haired grease ball with a suitcase come in here with a suitcase and starts obeying whatever the numbers tell him? How much chance do these kids have then? If I leave then I expect that it wouldn't take them long to get rid of Mod, Diana, and anyone else who can help protect them. That leaves Blood in charge. Raven would be trapped here and all our worst fears will come true. Is that what you want?" His stern tone hits Arella like a brick. She turns her head to fight back more tears.

"I swear, if anything happens to her...if she dies...I'll kill you myself." She warns.

"No one is going to stop you." Something about the way Slade said those words struck her. For once in her life, she believes. She almost trusts him. Almost.

Down the hall in Blood's office, Cameron sits politely in the chair across from Blood on the opposite side of his desk. Dressed more politely than the last time she was in there. Her braid is wrapped into a bun on the top of her head. Her school uniform is in perfect order. Her legs are crossed and her hands are folded in her lap. It's obvious that she wants something. Blood can see right though this little act of her.

"Where do you think this whole proper lady act is going to get you?" He pokes at her. She remains stern as always.

"You're right." She states. Blood raises a brow of curiosity before she continues. "I was being arrogant and stubborn. I've thought about what you said and I'd like to show you that I can do better."

"I find that hard to believe."

"I don't blame you. But I have been thinking long and hard about this. If I'm going to get any better than I need to try harder and not let the fun go to my head." She grabs a snow globe off of his and idly plays with it.

"What exactly do you want to get better at?" He prods. Her eyes dart up from the snow globe.

"Killing people." She says it so casually. Blood grins to himself a little. He hops up from his chair and walks over to her.

"That's one thing I like about you despite your more negative and immature qualities, you're ruthless dedication to getting what you want." He stand at her side. She keeps her eyes nonchalantly on the snow globe. Blood puts a hand on the back of her head and pets her. She doesn't show it, but shivers are sent down her spine. "Why don't you prove your level of dedication" He undoes his zipper next to her head. It's obvious what he wants. She sets the globe back on the desk and finishes undoing his pants and pulls out his dick. Knowing what she's about to do make the vomit rise in her throat. She inspect the tired old half flaccid cock in her hand and gently strokes it. It's nothing she can't work with.

"No biting." Blood inform her right before she puts it in her mouth. He inhales sharply at the sensation. After a moment he remarks, "You certainly know what you're doing." He keeps his hand on the top of her head.

Later on she's in her bathroom shoving fingers in her throat forcing herself to vomit to expel his cum. She'd better not have to get used to this. When she finishes she turns on the shower and scrubs her body like it's never been cleaned before.

Downtown at a modelling agency a dark skinned woman shows Kori around the studio.

"...and this is where it all happens. Here is where we make you a goddess." She waves her hand at the set. The grey scale back drop being gently light with reflective lighting and the camera on the tripod facing the whole set up. "Please sit in the chair I'd like to take a couple of test shots to see how you look through a lens."

"Certainly ma'am."

"Ma'am, Hah. Please call me Mari" She says before stepping behind the camera.

"Okay..." Kori replies nervously. She sits in the chair and poses like it's a school photo. Mari snaps a couple of photos.

"Great, try a few poses for me. Something a little more sultry." Kori blinks a little bit not quite understanding.

"I'm not sure what you mean." She states sweetly.

"You know, look sexy. Pretend you want your boyfriend to make love to you."

"Okay." She tries her best. Her body poses work but her face doesn't quite work. Mari snaps a couple more photos.

"Alright not bad. I'll have to work with you a little more, but you do have some potential. Perhaps I'll get you started with something simple. A summer dress collection should work."

"So am I now, the model?" Kori asks with puppy dog eyes

"Yes you are-" Mari is cut off by a rib snapping bear hug.

"Oh thank you so much! This is most wonderful!"

"Glad to hear it." Mari manages to eek out through the constraint on her ribs.

Later that night at Ravens house, Raven walks into her front door to find her mom in the kitchen preparing some hot water.

"Hi mom. You asked me to come by?"

"Yes, sit down I need to talk to you." Arella gestures to the kitchen table. Raven sits down very uncomfortably. Never has she felt so uneasy in her old house. Right now she would love nothing more than to just lock herself in her old room and read something to take her away from the world.

"What about?" Raven chews her fingernails.

"How's everything going at the academy?"

"Uh, fine. I have to get up really early but it's not too bad."

"How's the training been going?" That question catches Raven off guard. She chooses to play ignorant.

"You're military training. I know all about the academy Raven, you don't have to pretend." Arella takes the water off the heat. She pulls out a couple of tea bags and sets them in two tea cups and then pours the piping hot water in to steep the bags. She takes the cups and sets one down in front of Raven and another for herself.

"Because...I was part of the first wave of people in the program. I was in the army at the time. I signed up in high school because the recruitment officer explained how the Army would pay my college tuition if I served a certain amount of time. I was going through basic and I met a man. A very interesting man with a chiselled chin. He like my performance in basic and presented me with an opportunity. He said that they were working and a new special forces program that would help bring about the new generation of soldiers. It was a fancy way of saying they wanted to make super soldiers and they needed test subjects."

Raven takes a sip of her tea. "If you knew what they were doing why did you agree to it?"

"Because I was promised that if I went along I would never have any financial trouble again. It was stupid but I kind of like the idea of venturing into the unknown. Doing something with my life that no one had done before. So I said yes. They gave me some injections and ran tests. Eventually I was strapped to some machine that blasted me with enough radiation to 'activate' me. It worked. Soon after that, I could move things just by thinking about it. I could sense what other people were feeling I could even sometimes hear thoughts. I wasn't the only one. About 25 of us were given the treatment. That's when I met your father." Arella take a sip of her tea and lets her mind wander off in memory.

"So that's why I can do all these...things?" Raven asks.

"Yes. You father was similar to what I could do. He could levitate objects and himself. He was so handsome. So strong. I couldn't help myself."

"What happened to him? Raven asks with wide eyes. Arella takes a deep breath before speaking again.

"What we didn't know was the effect it had on his mind. The power started going to his head. And Blood was there to help feed it. He was crazy since I met him. He worshipped your father. Like he was the saviour returned to earth. Other people began to follow him. I thought I could help. I tried to talk some sense into him. But no matter how much I tried he kept slipping farther and farther down..." She begins to choke up tears. "And when we found out I was pregnant...that was the last straw. The people that followed him were convinced that you were the child of the saviour. Or maybe that you were the saviour and Trent was some kind of portal or something. I never really figured it out. I tried to get away but knowing that I was carrying you, he didn't let me out of his sight. Eventually it got violent. Slade, had to come in with help. After a day long battle in an underground bunker, Slade emerged alone carrying me, missing his right eye. I wasn't awake when it happened but Trent managed to take out his eye before Slade killed him. A month later I had you...I was so stupid back then. I made so many stupid decisions." A couple of tears roll down Arellas face.

"So...I'm a mistake..." Ravens voice gravels out of her throat. She looks away from her mother, hating herself for a moment. Hearing that remark Arella snaps and smacks Raven hard across the face. Her face stings the way only a mothers slap can. Raven begins to fight back tears.

"Don't you ever think something so stupid. Even though all of that happened I would never trade any of it if it meant I couldn't have you." Arella puts hands to her face and starts to cry. "Come here." She waves her hands at Raven. She gets up and walks to her mom who hold her to her shoulder and sobs. "I know that they're sending you out on a mission. Just promise me nothing is going to happen. No matter what happens, you come back home. Even if it means running as far as you can. I'm not going to loose you." Raven feels chest pain. She's seen her mother upset but never like this. She realizes that this may be the last time they ever talk to each other. Raven embraces her mom as tears stream down her own face.

"You won't. I promise okay? I promise I'll come home."


End file.
